


Heart of Darkness

by SooSooDyo (Phinphin)



Category: EXO (Band), Metro 2033 - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, ChanKaiSoo - Freeform, Graphic descriptions of injury, Inspired by metro 2033, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Mutants, Past ChanSeKai, Polyamory, Threesome - M/M/M, Violence, also smut, still manages to be fluffy at times though, surprise SHINee apperance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-13 00:00:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 117,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11747901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phinphin/pseuds/SooSooDyo
Summary: After the bombs fell humanity has been divided between two worlds. One hidden away in the Seoul metro and the other one hiding up in the highrises.Kyungsoo has lived his entire life in the metro, learning to navigate the dark tunnels like the back of his hand. One day he’s forced up to the surface and thrown into Chanyeol and Jongin’s life in the highrises. But after discovering the darkness from the metro is seeping into the light of the surface the three of them have to set out on a journey across Seoul in order to save humanity from another disaster.





	1. Chapter 1 - Kyungsoo

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative summary: Kyungsoo keeps hurting his leg and piggybacks on Jongin and Chanyeol all over Seoul
> 
> This story was born when I read Metro 2033 during vacation and just couldn't let go of the amazing universe created there. Thankfully EXOgeddon appeared and I couldn't just let this slip through my fingers. So instead I created a 100k + monster. I didn't get to edit the last chapters quite as much as I wanted to but I still really like this story and I hope you will too. 
> 
> I want to thank my tolsaeng for being the best hypman and apologize to my smolsaeng for killing her bias.

The tunnel is dark around him, the light of his flashlight absorbed by the blackness before it can light up more than a few rotten sleepers in front of him. Kyungsoo walks quietly, eyes used to darkness constantly scanning the tunnel walls. A lonesome centipede crawls past him and some of the tension disappears from his shoulders. As long as there are bugs around he has nothing to worry about, it’s when the bugs disappear you need to worry. 

He shrugs his backpack further up on his shoulders. It’s old and worn, having walked the tunnels for almost as long as Kyungsoo has. Despite having been mended several times over it's still something he holds dear to his heart. Fitted with secret compartments and a disguised pocket where he can hide his gun it’s perfectly designed for his lifestyle. 

Right now a clean white envelope with the Terminal’s seal on it rests inside a plastic pack stoved away in a compartment only visible to those who know where to look. His gun is strapped to his front, easily accessible. This tunnel may be considered safe and Kyungsoo may have walked it plenty of times before but he’s not naïve enough to not have his gun at ready. After all, even the safest of tunnels fall prey to the hidden residents of the metro. 

Before, when the bombs hadn’t fallen, when people still lived instead of just survived, when Seoul was bustling with 25 million inhabitants, these tunnels were never empty for long enough for the darkness to settle in. Kyungsoo sometimes lets his mind toy with the thought of how it would have looked, the bustle of people on the stations, the bright light of a speeding train, the whole metro alive with light instead of darkness. But even in his dreams the dark creeps in from the corners and taints the light. The dark silhouettes you can spot in the tunnels openings hiding among the mass of people and the tunnels never stopping their quiet song. 

But then the bombs had fallen. Korea had been blessed, or so people say. The closest blast zone had been southeast China, a kingdom that had stood for thousands of years gone in a day. In its wake a dust cloud had raged, devouring everything in its path. Someone had once used the words pyroclastic flow when Kyungsoo was young to describe it but no matter where he turns in the metro no one can explain what that means. All they can say is that it had moved towards them like a wall of death. Many had told him the walls of hell had truly opened that day and now humanity is condemned to suffer for all eternity for her sins. It had engulfed everything it touched, leaving behind nothing more than soot and mangled remains of what once was. The inhabitants of Seoul had done what they could do and fled into the metro, down into the newly opened hell, and there they had remained ever since. 

That had been decades ago and for Kyungsoo, born and raised in the dark tunnels, the tales of brightness and sunshine seemed as nothing more than stories made up to ease the lives of everyone living here. 

Under his foot another centipede meets its faith with a crunch. His flashlight sweeps the walls around him, noting the barred off door to a service room long since raided of anything of use. It should only be another 15 minutes walk before he reaches Nodeul station. There he can set up camp for the night and tomorrow he should reach the Terminal where he can hand over the envelope and continue on his never ending walk 50 caps richer. 

A currier, that’s what he is, and a pretty good one on top of it. In a society where news travelled slowly if at all and most information were warped through at least 10 retelling his kind are few and far between. Mostly employed by merchants and the municipalities they travel swiftly and quietly through the metro. A good currier can cross the metro in a week and return the next. A great one does so without asking questions. 

Kyungsoo belongs to the latter kind. For the past 5 years he has walked the tunnels, carrying whatever he is paid to carry. Most times it’s honest work, other times not. His passport has more stamps than most people acquired over a lifetime in the metro but just as often it has remained unstamped, a favor there, a rumor here and he slipped through the cracks in the system. 

Right now is one of those jobs that requires him to not leave a trace behind. The paper may be from one official station management to another but that doesn’t mean it’s knowledge to be shared. All Kyungsoo knows is that it has to do with the growing mutant problem on his home station Sinmokdong. A solution to it the whispers said and despite the job being poorly compensated Kyungsoo couldn’t make himself turn it down. A solution. No matter how much it sounds like the tales of aeroplanes and oceans, too good to be true, the little tingle of hope inside him had still won him over. 

A loud explosion rocks the tunnel. The force of it throws him forwards and after a few stumbling steps his shoe catches on one of the sleepers. His flashlight tumbles out of his hand as his body hits the ground, the air knocked out of him. Around him rocks rains down, hitting the ground with dull thuds the darkness eats away moments after they are formed. A second explosion goes off and Kyungsoo feels the shock wave push him further into the ground. He quickly raises his arms over his head, protecting it against the rain of concrete and residue he’s better off not knowing what it is. 

As soon as it began it is over and once again the suffocating quietness of the tunnels lowers itself over him. He carefully opens his eyes only to quickly advert them, the light of his flashlight blinding him where it lays in front of him. 

With a groan he rolls over and sits up. His hands aches from where he has scraped them on the ground and his chest feels tight but otherwise he’s unharmed. He shakes the dust out of his short hair and gets to his feet. His brain has barely started searching for the reason behind the explosions when the sound of hundreds, thousands of tiny feet fills the tunnel. 

Dread immediately fills him. His body freezes halfway to standing, a heavy pit growing in his guts weighing him down. He doesn’t know this sound, and that only makes it worse. With a quick motion he straightens fully and turns towards the sound. 

The flashlight illuminates the black maw of the tunnel in front of him. A shiny mass glints in the dim light and the sound draws nearer. Kyungsoo takes a stumbling step backwards, his foot crushing yet another centipede, and his hand fumbles for the flashlight. Instead of cool metal he touches something alive and the shock makes him tear his eyes away from the threat in front of him. 

Crawling up his arm is the largest centipede Kyungsoo’s ever seen, surely well over a foot in length. Beneath him more of its kind crawl, their long bodies crushed under his panicked steps. With his free hand he tears the bug away before quickly grabbing his flashlight. More centipedes crunch under the soles of his boots. 

The sound draws nearer and suddenly it’s painfully obvious that the pitter patter could only belong to the hundreds upon hundreds of mutated centipedes making their way towards him. Within moments he’s running flat out, panic fueling his tired limbs as he rushes towards Nodeul station in front of him. Under him the ground is nothing more than a moving mass of scaly, thin bodies climbing over each other. 

His heartbeat pounds against his ears but it can still not drown out the sound of an avalanche of bugs growing behind him. A centipede as long as Kyungsoo is tall suddenly appears on the wall next to him, the pincers in its maw clipping threateningly before it veers off towards his legs. Before he can register what he is doing his gun is in his hand and firing at the creature. The rifle spits out a short burst of rounds and the centipede lets out a wheezy hiss as it coils in pain. A moment later a new one takes its place and Kyungsoo feels the panic rise in him as he realizes his clip will only last so long. 

Suddenly the station opens up in front of him and Kyungsoo fires off a round behind himself before scrambling up the platform. With a curse to his short stature he heaves himself over the edge and rushes to his feet. The tunnel on the other side of the station, the track going in the opposite direction, is his only hope. Screw legends saying walking against the direction of the tracks is bad luck. His lungs burn with the effort of drawing in enough air but he refuses to let himself slow down. With a sharp turn he veers off into the main hall and heads toward the arcades leading to the other track. 

The sound of thousands of centipedes crawling through the tunnel is almost deafening now, the tiled walls of the station creating an ever increasing echo. Kyungsoo looks behind him and sees the first creatures enter the main hall, their pincers glinting it the flickering light of his flashlight. 

A moment later the platform opens up in front of him and Kyungsoo steers towards the tunnel opening. Before him the blackness of the tunnel suddenly heaves and a wave of centipedes roll out of it. The mass writhes for a moment before starting to climb over the walls, tracks and platform. His feet slip out under him as he blindly turns back towards the main hall. In an effort to steady himself he lets go of his flashlight and his hands slip on the tiles as he struggles not to fall down, not to be swallowed by the ocean of centipedes growing around him. 

He sprints off towards the arcade labeled exit, the light of his flashlight illuminating the sign for a short moment before it disappears under the bodies of centipedes slowly covering the platform. Frantically he tires to turn on the small emergency light attached to his backpack strap. It’s barely bright enough to light up more than a meter in front of him but right now that’s all he needs. 

With a leap he reaches the stairs and starts climbing. Step after step appear in front of him and for a moment Kyungsoo fears it will never end but then the upper floors appear before him. The room opens up like the mouth of a predator knowing it has caught its prey. Wherever he looks blackness stares back at him, ready to swallow him whole the moment he slows down. His eyes desperately search the darkness for a way out. Something green glints in his peripheral and when Kyungsoo turns around the dull green light of an exit sign shines back at him like the beacon of a lighthouse in a stormy night. 

He sets off, his arms pumping by his side as he runs. Behind him the pitter patter of feet against tile seem to almost mockingly spread over the whole floor, almost as if it knows Kyungsoo is caught no matter what. 

A plate wall suddenly appears in front of him, a gate lowered many many years ago to keep the dust cloud out and possibly never opened since. The thud his body makes as it impacts with the gate echoes through the room and beats against his eardrums. Half a second later the sound of smaller bodies colliding with the barricade fills the space. 

Kyungsoo takes a step back and searches for a way past the gate. He knows what hides on the other side, knows the outside is waiting for him and that going there means almost certain death. But right now almost certain death sounds like pretty good odds compared to unavoidable death by centipede mutilation. 

His hand ghosts over a bump. A moment later he grabs a rusted old padlock. With new hope in his heart Kyungsoo can just barely, but surely, make out the contours of a door locked by the padlock. He quickly pulls up his rifle and takes a firm step back, the centipedes behind him hissing in pain as his heavy boots cut them in half. A short bust and a well aimed kick to the lock and the door swings open. 

Kyungsoo is bursting out through the door before he has time to realize the sun is beating down on him, blinding his eyes used to nothing more than the dim light of the metro and burning his white skin. 

The world disappears in a white light and Kyungsoo stumbles on the stairs leading him out of the metro. Behind him the centipedes sizzle and pop as their thick black bodies are boiled by the harsh sun. He continues forward, blindly fleeing from a threat he’s not sure still exist. 

The stairs end and he slows his sprint, hands stretched out in front of him as he searches for shelter. The pained hisses of the centipedes mixes with the constant pops and sizzles of their bodies bursting behind him and Kyungsoo takes a few more stumbling steps forwards before something sharp sinks into his ankle. The centipede has time for another bite before Kyungsoo is once again sprinting, feet blindly leading him away from danger. 

A moment later his toes catch on something and he falls uncontrollably, more gravel sinking into his already scraped hands before his forehead hits the ground and the world turns black.


	2. Chapter 2 - Chanyeol

“I’ll bet you 10 a Crawler tripped the mines.” Chanyeol says, nudging Jongin lightly in the side. The other looks at him through his sunglasses and raises an eyebrow. 

“Why would I ever agree to a bet like that?” Jongin shakes his head and aims his eyes forwards once more, scanning the desolate landscape in front of them. “Besides, you don’t even have that kind of money.” He adds with a grin. 

“Yes I do!” Chanyeol protests. Jongin only grins again and Chanyeol gives him another shove. “The bet’s off.” He huffs. “And not because I can’t afford. It’s because you’re a bore.” 

“I’m so hurt.” Jongin replies in a monotone tone, pulling his face mask higher over his nose. Chanyeol huffs, shaking the dust out of his hair. The sun is beating down on them, causing him to sweat underneath his polo shirt but he knows from experience that it’s better to be sweaty than to let the sun’s rays touch your skin no matter how refreshing it is. 

“You’re not really hurt, are you?” He asks after a moment and Jongin lets out a loud laugh, shaking his head in reply. 

“Quiet down! Eyes forward!” Minseok calls from behind them and they both sober up, their eyes leaving each other and going back to search their surroundings. Something rustles in a dry brush to their left and Chanyeol quickly takes a look. The bush is too small to hide something dangerous and the small party of four continue their trek towards the Nodeul metro station. 

Around lunchtime two of the mines they had planted near the station had gone off and now, a few hours later when the sun isn’t as strong, they have set out to investigate. They come from the Yeouido Highrise and while Nodeul station technically lays in neutral territory they have still decided to take the Nodeul park under their wings. After all a park is something you can’t pass up on. 

They have been walking for 15 minutes and so far they’ve only found a few useful things the previous sandstorm blew their way. Chanyeol himself carries an old radio they hope contains a few working parts, and if they’re lucky, a battery. It’s going to be Chanyeol’s job to pick it apart once they get back to the highrise. The radio and whatever other electronics they might find. 

The area they walk is more or less emptied of whatever useful things there is. There are some areas that are still uninvestigated even after all these years. The convenience store on the corner a street over where a shopkeep still lurks behind the shelves. The Noryangjin train station where the mutants have taken over and a fragile status quo of as long as we don’t bother them they will not start hunting in our territory have been worked out. 

And of course the Han river. There are plenty of boats still floating in the dark liquid that had once been water but no one goes near the river anymore. The elders at the highrise still sometimes whisper about what had happened during the first scouting missions to the river and while Chanyeol once used to be curious he has now stopped listening. Like much in the world they live in it’s better not to know. 

The park slowly appears in front of them. Chanyeol supposes still calling it a park is not really fair to the word. He has seen pictures of what the parks used to look like, lush areas full of life, growth and greenery. Green. That’s a colour rarely seen today. And the orange, reds and purples of the flowers just as rare. He can’t decide which one he likes the most. Nowadays the area is full of knobbly trees with thick trunks and few leaves. A flower probably hasn’t graced the earth since the first dust storm and if you don’t keep your wits about you the unseen hiding among the brittle bushes will reach out with their frail arms and grab you before you knew what is happening. 

Still, the dirt found there is worth the risk and the thick trunks hide precious clean water. Their highrise have dragged trolley after trolley full of dirt back to their home and even quite a few of the plants. Now they have a, Chanyeol supposes the word could be used here, lush garden on the roof of their complex that supplies them will both food and water. 

“No one enters the park.” Minseok orders and the party of four steer ther steps to the other side of the road from the park entrance. Something crawls out from underneath the chassis of a clean picked car and Jongin has his rifle aimed on it before Chanyeol has time to react. 

It’s nothing more than a small cat, its hunched back arching even further as it hisses at them. A moment later it’s out of their sight and Jongin carefully lowers his gun, ready to aim it at the next threat. Nothing appears and the group starts moving again, Minseok gesturing for Jongin and Chanyeol to investigate the mine closes to the metro entrance while he and Seunggi take the one closer to the park. 

Chanyeol pulls his rifle from his back and slowly they creep closer to the metro’s entrance. A Passenger has never attacked during the day so far but you can never be too careful. A shudder runs through him as he imagines what can lurk at the bottom of the stairs leading to the closed off entrance. Slowly they inch closer, the sound of something crawling reaching their ears. It doesn’t sound like a Crawler though. Jongin sends him a hesitant look before raising his rifle and looking down the scope. Chanyeol nods and quickens his pace, knowing that no matter what might leap at him Jongin has his back. 

Slowly he rounds his partner and makes his way towards the stairs. The smell of burnt meat starting to rot reaches his nose and Chanyeol swallows down his disgust. Whatever happened on the mines is surely dead by now. Another step and the source of the smell comes into view. Centipedes, some as thick as his leg and long enough to span the length of the stairs and others smaller but equally as terrifying. All of them burst open, boiled under the strong midday sun. There are enough of them to create a blockade surely a meter thick at the bottom of the stairs and behind them is the door leading into the metro. Opened. 

“Jongin.” Chanyeol calls, quickly gesturing for him to come. In the darkness behind the door he can vaguely make out hundreds of small bodies writhing and every once in awhile a centipede appears behind the wall of dead brethren only for it to too soon slow down and burst with a sickening pop. 

“What the fuck.” Jongin breathes behind him and Chanyeol nods. “I’ve never seen any of that size.”

“They’re from the metro.” Chanyeol says. “You know hell hides down there.” Next to him Jongin nods before turning away from the revolting sight. 

“Come on, let’s see if we got any of the Crawlers.” Jongin says behind him and Chanyeol nods, turning away with one last look at the centipedes. Together they walk over to the mine site. The mines are something they plant just in case something like the centipedes were to happen, that the barricades were to give in and the gates of hell were to open. This time they had been lucky. The sun took care of the treat, destroying it just like it does with anything else unguarded. 

“Cawlers.” Jongin says next to him and Chanyeol looks over to where the other is pointing. A few meters away from them the remains of a Crawler rests, its many legs torn from the spherical body. Next to it rests another one of the same kind, more intact. It reminds him of a spider where it lays, upside down, legs curled on top. That’s where the similarities end though. Chanyeol doesn’t know what he would do if he saw a spider with a mouth like that, thousands upon thousands of razor sharp teeth around a round hole leading into it’s guts. He still remembers the first time he saw one feed, how one of it’s many legs curled it’s thin fingers around the prey and slowly fed it into it’s body. 

The thought sends an icy chill down his spine and he quickly turns away. Next to him Jongin sends him a concerned look and Chanyeol gives him a thumbs up to show that he’s alright. 

“You owe me 10.” He says and Jongin lets out a chuckle. The other had never been as easily affected by the mutants as Chanyeol. Jongin claims it’s because Chanyeol is a big softie with too big of a heart. Chanyeol claims it’s common sense. 

“I thought the bet was off.” Jongin says teasingly. 

“Not when I’m winning.” Chanyeol replies, cracking a smile at the other’s easy mood. Jongin has always been better than him at noticing threats, a better marksman, a better scout. But Chanyeol is one of the strongest at their highrise, and his inventiveness have gotten them out of plenty of hardships. They make a great team together. Almost as good as when Sehun had still been with them. 

They walk around the mine area, looking for anything that they can use that the explosion might have unearthed. Chanyeol tries to make smalltalk along the way but mostly ends up talking to himself. That doesn’t bother him though. Jongin has always been quiet while Chanyeol’s been loud. They balance each other out. Ying and Yen or whatever it is that Nana at the station says. Whatever it is Chanyeol likes it. It’s what makes them them. 

Something catches his eye and Chanyeol stops, backing up so he can see it more clearly. There, hidden from view by a large boulder, lays a body. He takes a step closer to get a better view. It’s a new body, can’t be much older than the Crawlers. Maybe it is what had lured them here? Chanyeol feels sick at the thought. 

“Found something?” Jongin asks and Chanyeol nods, waving the other over. 

“Poor sod.” Jongin says softly, looking at the pale body with pity in his eyes. “We should search his backpack.” 

“We shouldn’t disturb the dead.” Chanyeol says but they’re already moving towards the body. The dead has no use for water or ammunition after all. With a deep breath Chanyeol bends down and starts to fiddle with the strap holding the backpack closed. It is made of some sort of leathery material Chanyeol’s never seen before. As he works his eyes trail over the small figure. The man, or maybe he’s a boy, is small, shorter than both Jongin and himself. He has pitch black hair cut short and he is paler than anyone Chanyeol has seen before. The back of his neck is burned red and so are his hands. He must have been running for quite some time for the sun to cause such damage. He doesn’t look like anyone Chanyeol’s seen from any highrise around here. The sun quickly bleaches hair no matter how black and to not have even the slightest hint of a tan is almost unheard of. Maybe he’s from Seoul City hall. Chanyeol has heard stories that people who live there live almost like people had done before the bombs. No wonder the boy had been so poorly prepared for the sun if he had never had to scout in his life. 

Suddenly the body beneath him lets out a groan and Chanyeol scrambles away. Jongin already has his gun aimed on the body, fingers twitching on the trigger. 

“Thought you said he was dead.” Chanyeol mutters as he stands up. Jongin makes a small noise to show he’s not in the mood for jokes. 

“Flip him over.” Jongin orders and Chanyeol carefully puts a foot between the figure’s stomach and the ground and flips him. The body turns with another groan. A young looking face with strong eyebrows and lips similar to Jongin’s is revealed. The boy has a gash on his forehead and the left side of his face is covered in blood. 

“What should we do?” Chanyeol whispers quietly. Next to him Jongin shifts, gun still pointed at the boy’s head. There is another groan and Chanyeol can see how his eyes are starting to flutter open, retinas red from exposure to the sun without protection. 

“Mercy shot?” Jongin asks but Chanyeol can tell that he doesn’t really want to. Neither does Chanyeol. “Minseok!” Jongin calls the next moment, a hint of panic in his voice. Chanyeol gently places a hand on Jongin’s arm, noticing the tremor that runs through him. 

“From Yongwang?” He asks gently. Jongin is not originally from their highrise. He had come to them a few years ago when his previous one, Yongwang highrise, had collapsed. 

“No.” Jongin shakes his head minutely before turning his back on the boy. Chanyeol decides not to pry, knowing that Jongin will tell him when the other feels comfortable to do so if there is something bothering him. 

“Jongin?” Minseok asks, eyes wide with question. 

“We found someone. He’s still alive.” Chanyeol says quickly, gesturing behind him to where the boy is. Minseok frowns, his mouth opening in a quiet question before pushing past the pair and kneeling down next to the boy. 

“Shit shit shit _shit_.” Their leader mumbles, quickly removing his backpack and starting to rummage through it. “Anyone have an extra pair of sunglasses?” He asks. Chanyeol quickly starts looking through his own backpack while Jongin shakes his head next to him. Minseok curses quietly, reaching for the boys backpack. A moment later he pulls out a green scarf and quickly starts wrapping it around the boy’s head to cover his eyes. 

“Seunggi, do we have range on the cell?” He asks, getting a curt ‘yes’ in reply before Seunggi is dialing their Highrise and explaining the situation. “Chanyeol, carry him. Jongin, you take the backpacks.” Minseok orders the the pair who quickly nod. 

Chanyeol hands his backpack off to Jongin before bending down and letting Minseok hoist the boy onto his back. Chanyeol can feel the boy’s breath wetly ghost by his ear and swallows as he straightens. 

“Let’s go. The sooner we get back the better.” Minseok barks and the troup sets off. Minseok takes the front while Seunggi takes the back. Jongin and himself are in the middle, sweating under the heavy load they are carrying. Seunggi refuses to let them fall behind and Minseok urges them to move faster and by the time they crossed the bridge to Yeouido island they’re almost running and Chanyeol has to hold on hard to the boy’s arms to make sure he doesn’t slide off his back. 

“Come on!” Lay shouts at him from the entrance to the highrise, waving a hand as they come running. Chanyeol feels some tension leave his shoulder at the sight of their doctor but a moment later his mood sinks again as the boy is taken away and Chanyeol is sent to clean off together with Jongin.


	3. Chapter 3 - Jongin

Jongin shifts on his feet, crossing his arms as he watches Chanyeol pull up the covers around the boy for the third time in as many minutes. It has been a whole day since they found the boy and Chanyeol hasn’t stopped worrying since. Jongin on the other hand, had been glad to get the boy taken from their hands. It’s obvious that he came from the metro and anything coming from that hell is nothing but trouble. 

“He’s not going to wake up faster just because you fixed his covers.” Jongin says quietly and Chanyeol mumbles something in reply, clearly embarrassed that he got caught. Jongin feels his heart clench as the taller hunches his shoulders. He didn’t mean to hurt the other’s feelings. He just doesn’t want him to get too attached to someone they can’t keep. 

Because the boy can’t stay here. Nothing that comes from inside the metro can stay in the highrise. 

“You can stop fussing. Lay said he’s going to be alright.” Jongin adds a moment later, slowly walking over to where Chanyeol is sitting. 

“I know. I’m just...”Chanyeol trails off and Jongin can see his hand twitch towards the boy. “Where do you think he’s from? He looks so different.” 

“The metro.” Jongin replies without hesitation. He hasn’t voiced his thoughts to anyone else in the highrise but he knows Chanyeol will listen to him. Chanyeol always does. 

“The metro?” The other repeats, a frown appearing behind his curly bangs. Jongin nods, sending the unconscious boy a look of distrust. 

“You saw the door. It was open from the inside. And I doubt those centipedes can open barred doors.” Jongin explains. It had probably been the boy who had brought the centipedes. Who knew what else he had brought with him. 

“But...Nothing lives in the metro.” Chanyeol says softly, looking over at the boy on the bed. “Nothing but...” He trails off but Jongin knows what he means to say. Nothing but monsters live in the metro. 

“Maybe we should have left him.” Jongin says and Chanyeol twists around so fast he almost falls out of the chair. 

“You can’t be serious Jongin. He’s a human!” Chanyeol’s tone is hurt, as if Jongin had suggested they should have left him too. 

“We don’t know that.” Jongin hisses and the hurt look in Chanyeol’s eyes grow stronger. Jongin can feel his resolve breaking. “Look. All I’m saying is that watch yourself. I don’t want you to get hurt.” He says softly and Chanyeol breaks out into a wide smile, all traces of hurt gone. 

“Awe...is someone worried about me?” He teases, pulling Jongin onto his lap. Jongin huffs and crosses his arms but still allows the other to snuggle him. “You know your Yebo would never hurt you.” Chanyeol says with a laugh, pressing his lips against Jongin’s neck. 

“Yebo?” Jongin asks, a light smile playing on his lips. 

“Nana told me that’s what people in relationships called each other before the bombs. It’s like a pet name.” Chanyeol explains and Jongin tries the new word out again. He likes it whenever Nana talks about before. He wishes he could have been there to hear her talk about this. 

“You sure she’s not pulling your leg again.” Jongin asks teasingly. Just last month she had convinced Chanyeol there had been flying cars before the bombs fell. Chanyeol confidently shakes his head and Jongin allows himself to relax back into Chanyeol’s chest. 

A moment later he’s shoved back onto his feet as the boy in the bed starts moving. Chanyeol is on him a moment later, worriedly touching his face and making sure the bandages covering his eyes aren’t sliding off. The boy on the bed startles at the contact, pushing away the foreign hands with a distressed noise. 

“Back off Yeol. You’re scaring him.” Jongin says loudly and reluctantly Chanyeol moves back. The boy on the bed twists towards the noises, his face contorting in confusion before his hands reach towards his eyes, coming in contact with the bandages. 

“I would leave them if I were you.” Jongin points out and the hands still, hesitantly lowering again. The boy sits up next, still keeping his covered up eyes expertly trained on them. 

“What happened?” He asks and Jongin as to think the words through before he can understand the boy. He knows people from different highrises have slightly different accents, his own differing from Chanyeol’s ever so slightly. But this, this is not like any of the other accents he had heard. The boy’s speech is curt and sharp, every consonant harshly pronounced and he ends his sentence with a weird long vowel sound. 

“We found you. By Nodeul metro station.” Jongin answers after a moment of hesitation. The boy frowns, mouthing what Jongin had just said before his eyebrows rises in realisation. 

“You didn’t have any protective gear.” Chanyeol adds. “Your eyes, Lay said they’re hurt but as long as you rest them you should be able to see again.” The boy hesitantly presses against the bandages around his eyes, eyebrows rising further. 

“And my hands?” He asks. 

“The sun got to them. And your neck. Why did you go outside without protective gear?” Jongin asks curtly and Chanyeol pulls at his arm, clearly thinking he’s being too harsh. 

“Outside?” The boy asks. “The centipedes...I...where am I?” 

“Yeouido Highrise.” Chanyeol explains and from the look on the boy’s face he might as well be speaking a different language. 

“You’re from the metro, right?” Jongin asks and the boy nods. “Well congrats, you made it out.” 

It takes a moment for the boy to process the words but when he does Jongin can see him grow even paler. He opens his mouth as if to say something but nothing comes out. The next second the boy has ripped the bandages off his eyes and is looking around blindly, searching for answers to his unvoiced questions. 

Chanyeol is next to him in an instant, calmly explaining what had happened from start to finish and placing the bandages back over his eyes. The boy continues to push his hands away but once Chanyeol’s hand gently grabs his the boy holds on to it like a lifeline. Jongin watches from the side, feeling his guts twist as the boy slowly calms down with each gentle word from Chanyeol. 

Without telling his boyfriend, Jongin leaves.


	4. Chapter 4 - Kyungsoo

He has been awake for four days now. Four days on the surface, or so they tell him. Kyungsoo is still not entirely sure what to think. His eyes, which had ached like someone had poured gravel in them when he first woke up, are still useless. The bandages had come off yesterday but the light around him is still too bright so he prefers to keep them closed. 

The light, among other things, is what keeps him confused about where he is. He knows most of the stations in the metro, all of them within the ring line and a few of them outside. It is one ones far away from the metro’s center that he doesn’t know but he knows that he couldn’t have gone that far. Or could he have? 

He doesn’t remember what had happened. He remembers the panic, the centipedes, but after that there is just blackness. Chanyeol had told him that they had found him by the entrance to Nodeul station and that they had taken him back to what he calls the ‘highrise’. While Kyungsoo had been passing Nodeul station he had long since passed Yeouido station and he knows Yeouido well enough to know there is nothing there called the highrise. Jongin had later explained that a highrise is a tall building where people live on the surface. 

But Kyungsoo knows that can’t be. He knows there are no people on the surface. He knows because the dust cloud had killed everything in it’s path. He knows it had destroyed all the buildings, had torn down the trees and had annihilated any progress humanity had called her own. But Jongin had an explanation for that too. The earthquake secured buildings had been able to withstand the pressure from the dust cloud and that when people had reached enough height it’s destructive powers hadn’t been able to touch them. 

He had also gotten it explained to him by the doctor called Lay that he had burned his neck and hands under the sun and that the tightness of his skin and the ache would disappear within a week or two. The locals calls him Lay, Lay had told him his name was Yixing but that no one except Kyungsoo is able to pronounce it. His family had once come from China, a country long since gone and his parents had wanted to keep their heritage alive. Kyungsoo had heard about other countries but he still has a hard enough time imagining something as a place beyond Seoul, beyond Korea, when he can barely imagine it being an above, or an outside as Chanyeol and Jongin call it. 

He cracks his eyes open again and blinks. The light is softer now, much softer, but it does nothing to help his sight. Around him are nothing but a blur of bright whiteness. Bright and white, nothing like the dark and gray of the metro he calls his home. He may have dreamt of once coming here but now that he might be here he feels more scared than anything else. It is all too foreign, too different, too bright. 

Maybe he had died and gone to the mythical heaven everyone agree has been annihilated by the dust cloud along with everything else. 

“You ready?” A voice asks and Kyungsoo jumps, whipping around to look at Jongin. He, too, is just a blur. At least his blur is different from the other blurs. 

“For what?” He asks. He hears Jongin sigh and wishes he could properly see the other one so he could roll his eyes at him. Everyone here had been nothing but welcoming since he woke up, everyone except Jongin. Jongin seems to have some sort of issue with him. At first he had thought it is just the way Jongin is but after having Chanyeol rant to him for the better part of an hour about how amazing Jongin is he has abandoned that idea. 

“Chanyeol didn’t tell you?” Jongin asks and Kyungsoo thinks back on the other’s visit that morning. 

“He told me lots of things.” Kyungsoo says. He still struggles to understand whatever accident they are talking in here. It is like they’re mumbling their words, everything blending together. And so far none of them had talked to him in the polite Jondaemal. He knows he’s young but still, they should ask before using informal Banmal. 

Jongin lets out a light laugh at that. “He usually does.” He says with a snort and Kyungsoo feels his lips quirk up in a small smile. “We’re going bathing. Lay says your burns have healed enough to go in the water now.” 

“We are?” Kyungsoo asks. 

“Bathing.” Jongin supplements, enunciating the word slowly. 

“No. No, _we_ are bathing?” Kyungsoo clarifies. 

“Yes.” Jongin says like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Kyungsoo pulls at the short sleeves covering his arms, already feeling naked. “Let’s go.” The blur moves closer and he realizes Jongin is holding out a hand for him to take. Slowly, mindful of the burns on the back of his hand, he takes it and allows the other to guide him to where the baths are. 

“Stairs.” Jongin says after a minute of walking and Kyungsoo reaches out with his free hand for the railing. After a few moments of fumbling another hand grabs his and guides it to the railing. Kyungsoo quietly thanks Jongin who just hums in reply before tugging him along again. 

They walk for another 5 minutes and Kyungsoo deeply wishes he could see so he knows the way they are walking. He half considers asking Jongin before thinking better of it. There is a short stop before the sound of a door being opened reaches his ears and the already warm air grows even warmer. 

“We’re here.” Jongin says and lets go of his hand. Kyungsoo slowly shuffles forwards, looking for a point of reference in the vast brightness spread out in front of him. He hears some rustling of clothes and then the sound of a tap being turned on. 

“What are you waiting for?” Jongin asks and Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, silently asking what he means. “Clothes off.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo wraps his arms around himself. 

“Now? With you?” Kyungsoo exclaims. Are they actually supposed to bathe _together_? When Jongin had said ‘we’ he had thought that first Jongin would bathe and then he would have a go. Kyungsoo had barely been okay with the first interpretation but he is definitely not okay with what appears to be the actual situation. 

“Yes.” Jongin answers, once again as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You don’t take baths in the metro?” 

“Not together.” Kyungsoo clarifies and he hears Jongin let out a small sound of realization. 

“Well get used to it.” Is what he gets in reply and the next moment Kyungsoo feels someone tug at his shirt. Kyungsoo tries to wrestle his way out of Jongin’s grip but not being able to see where his opponent is ensures that Jongin quickly wins and his shirt comes off within moments. 

He pushes Jongin away at the next moment and quickly starts work on his pants, preferring to not have the same experience with them. His underwear follows after a moment of hesitation and the small amount of courage he had gathered leaves him the moment they make contact with the floor. He makes a small noise, holding out his hand for Jongin to take because no matter how much he wants to take this bath alone he’d prefer not to be left standing naked in an unknown room with no sight. 

A moment later Jongin’s hand is in his and he’s being led forwards and carefully instructed to enter a barrel full of hot water. It sloshes as he sits down and the water reaches much higher than he expected and would have prefered. Jongin enters the same barrel a moment later, sitting down right behind him. Kyungsoo shuffles forward slightly, reaching up to grip the sides of the tub when a bucketful of water is dumped over his head. He gasps, half standing up before Jongin pulls him back down. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” He snaps and Jongin lets out another one of those annoying little laughs. 

“Relax. It’s just a bath.” He says, pushing slightly on Kyungsoo’s hips to move him forwards. Kyungsoo pulls the hands away before moving forwards on his own accord. 

“We don’t bathe like this in the metro.” He says as an explanation, pulling himself even further away from Jongin. The tub isn’t large enough for him to get much space between them though and Jongin’s hands are on his back in the next moment, gently scrubbing with some sort of towel. Kyungsoo lets it happen, back tense as the rough fabric clean the grime from his skin.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” Jongin says softly after a moment of silence. “We always take baths together. It saves water.” He explains. Kyungsoo nods and feels the tension slowly being worked out of his shoulders by Jongin’s scrubbing. The gentle rasping of the towel over his shoulders and then down further down his back is surprisingly relaxing and Kyungsoo closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. 

The air up here is much easier to breathe than the one in the metro. It’s not filtered through old ventilation systems and it’s not made pungent by years upon years of dampness. There is a special smell to the metro that Kyungsoo finds himself missing though. Every station differentiating ever so slightly. His home station, Sinmokdong, smells slightly of spices while the Terminal, the heart of the metro, has a smell that tickles the back of your throat from all the cleaning products used there. Up here though, in the highrise, nothing smells of anything. 

“Are we...Is this really up top?” Kyungsoo asks carefully when Jongin moves on to scrub up his left side. 

“Outside of the metro you mean?” Jongin says and Kyungsoo nods. “Yeah. You’re on the 23rd floor right now. Wish I could open one of the curtains so you could see.” 

“You have curtains?” Kyungsoo asks, wondering why they would ever shut out the wonderful brightness that the sun brings.

“Yeah. The sun is dangerous. If you’re not careful it will burn you.” Jongin explains and fingers ghost over the burns on Kyungsoo’s neck. “You’re lucky we found you when we did. You should have seen what the sun did to the centipedes from the metro.” 

“One of them bit me.” Kyungsoo admits. “On the ankle.” 

The water sloshes around him and Jongin’s hand lands heavily on his shoulder. Hesitantly Kyungsoo brings up the foot he was talking about and he feels Jongin maneuver around him. Jongin’s hand moves up his ankle, pressing against two small puncture wounds before patting his calf as if to say he’s done. 

“It’s nothing dangerous. Lay would have noticed it if it was.” Jongin reassures him and sits down once more. The water rolls around them and Kyungsoo nods slightly. He wants to bring up the subject of Lay, of countries, of how he doesn’t feel at home here outside of the dark and the damp, but he doesn’t feel like Jongin wants to answer any more questions. Not that Kyungsoo wants to speak with a complete stranger about those things.

The other has gone back to scrubbing and once he’s done with Kyungsoo’s right side he hands the towel over and pulls Kyungsoo back until he’s resting against Jongin’s chest. Kyungsoo feels himself tense up at the contact. He can feel the gentle rise and fall of Jongin’s chest as the other breathes. He feels much larger than Kyungsoo, broader, and for some reason that makes him feel a little bit safer in the unknown brightness that surrounds him. 

He takes a deep breath and forces himself to relax, his fingers fiddling with the towel handed to him. He can hear Jongin mimic the same deep breath a moment later, sinking further into the tub and bringing Kyungsoo with him deeper into the water. It’s ghosting just below the burn on his neck and it’s quite a lot deeper than Kyungsoo would have chosen for himself but he has to admit to be surrounded like this quite comfortable. 

“You want me to do your front too?” Jongin asks quietly after a moment. Kyungsoo holds up the towel after a moment of thought and feels Jongin chuckle as he grabs it. “I was afraid I made you too unfortable.” 

“It’s actually quite nice.” He admits. 

“Told you you would like it.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo feels himself smile at the others teasing tone. Maybe Jongin is just like him and just needs a moment to warm up to people. 

“Are you all like this on the surface?” Kyungsoo asks as Jongin starts to scrub down his front. 

“Like what?” The rough towel almost tickles him for a moment when it ghosts over his abdomen and Kyungsoo twitches. 

“This friendly, trusting.” He clarifies. “You let me, a complete stranger, into your highrise and now you’re sharing your recourses with me.” 

“Well...” Jongin sighs. “No we’re not. Once you’re a part of the highrise for sure. We have to look out for our own. But we’re not as kind to people outside of our community.”

“What made you decide to rescue me then?” Kyungsoo asks. 

“You’ll have to ask Minseok that. But the reason everyone’s so kind to you is because Chanyeol likes you.” Jongin says, his scrubbing getting harsher for a moment before returning back to normal. 

“Chanyeol is too trusting.” Kyungsoo says and Jongin lets out a breathy laugh behind him. “He would never survive in the metro. If you don’t look out for yourself no one else will either.” 

“Not even family?” Jongin asks, sounding almost sad. 

“Most people lack parents once they reach adulthood. It’s not exactly a friendly place down there.” Kyungsoo says. His own family is long since dead, claimed by the harsh nature of the metro when he had been young. He has been fending for himself since he was 8 and travelling the tunnels since he was 15. 

“You’re awfully trusting yourself. I mean I could drown you any moment if I wanted to.” Jongin comments and Kyungsoo feels his lips quirk up in an empty smile. 

“I don’t trust you.” He states. He expect Jongin to be offended by his words, to pull back or even leave the tub, but instead he just hums quietly. 

“The feeling is mutual.” Jongin states and Kyungsoo nods, liking that the other doesn’t sugarcoat things. “Chanyeol trusts you of course. But he would trust a Crawler if it smiled at him.” 

“Good thing he has you then.” Kyungsoo comments. 

“Yep.” 

The rest of the bath is spent in silence, Jongin makes quick work of scrubbing down his front and then moves on to wash his hair. His fingers are gentle as they massage his scalp, washing away the dirt and grime of the metro. Before Jongin pours another bucket of water over his head he warns Kyungsoo with a soft phrase and Kyungsoo thinks that maybe, Jongin isn’t too bad after all.


	5. Chapter 5 - Chanyeol

Jongin’s hair is rough against his fingers, the hazel strands damaged by years upon years of harsh sunlight. Chanyeol still finds comfort in twisting and stroking the locks, gently scraping his partner’s scalp with his short nails. Jongin shifts beside him, humming slightly and snuggling closer. He is already asleep and usually Chanyeol would have been too. 

This night sleep eludes him. His mind won’t stop buzzing and none of his usual tricks are working. That, and after twisting and turning for 10 minutes Jongin had firmly planted himself on Chanyeol’s chest in an effort to keep him still. Which means he’s now stuck on his back and he prefers sleeping on his stomach...or side...or maybe back sometimes but tonight is just not one of those nights. 

He wonders if Kyungsoo is sleeping. The smaller male seems like the type who never sleeps deeply. He guesses that if he had grown up in the metro he too would be a light sleeper. From what Kyungsoo tells him to sleep in the metro is like sleeping on the outside. Anything can attack you at any time. A Crawler creeping up on you. The unseen stretching their spindly fingers towards your neck. Or worst of all, a Passenger quietly looming over your sleeping form, watching you with one icy blue eye. 

But Kyungsoo had also told him about the stations in the metro. Some of them are built to hold hundreds of people like the highrises. They have water, food and even livestock, something only a few selected highrises have. He has tried to imagine how they look many times over from the short descriptions Kyungsoo had given him but no matter what it never lives up to the picture the other paints. 

There is darkness, that’s the first thing Kyungsoo had told him. There is also a coldness to the tunnels that even the nights up here can’t replicate. They’re cramped, but not in the way the rooms in the highrise could be. The walls are curved, although some stretch far enough up that you think they will never end. Chanyeol had asked him if it was like the sky, never ending, but Kyungsoo had only given him a confused look in reply. Everything is made out of stone except for some of the archades decorated in bright tile. White, orange, yellow, green and blue. All depending on the line that particular arcade took you to. The stations are lit up by flickering lights powered by generators and in the middle of the station there is a firepit constantly burning. 

Kyungsoo had told him that his favourite place on any station is around that fire. There you can smell food cooking, people are gathered and telling stories. The merchants are usually around there and you can spend days around those firepits, listening to people and browsing the wares. 

Kyungsoo is a merchant, so he had told Chanyeol. He travels from station to station together with an two other people, an older man and his wife. When they had found Kyungsoo he had been separated from his travelling companions and attacked by the centipedes. They had been on their way to a station called Dongjak and when Chanyeol had asked Junmyeon about that place he had been told that it is outside of their territory. 

He hopes Kyungsoo won’t leave to continue on his journey but he isn’t too worried. So far Kyungsoo hasn’t said anything about leaving so it seems like he will be staying here. He fits in the highrise and everyone likes him despite only knowing him for a week. He fits well with Junmyeon and Minseok with his eye for defence and strategy. But he also fits well with Chanyeol in engineering or with the merchants in the great hall. 

The only one who doesn’t like Kyungsoo is Jongin. Despite Chanyeol’s effort to get the two of them to spend time together, even going so far as to making Jongin take a bath with the other, all seem for naught. Although maybe the bath hadn’t been the best idea. Jongin had told him after that they don’t take baths together in the metro and Kyungsoo had seemed quite uncomfortable through it all. 

“Stop it.” Jongin mumbles next to him and Chanyeol looks down, slowly removing his hand from the other’s hair. “No, not that. Stop the thinking.” 

Chanyeol snorts, looking down at the other with fond eyes. “Alright.” He says softly, trying to discreetly remove his arm from under Jongin’s head. It doesn’t go well. After some displeased whining from Jongin they rearrange themselves so Chanyeol is spooning the other, his fingers now gently scratching the nape of Jongin’s neck. 

“What are you even thinking about at a time like this?” Jongin says with a yawn. 

“You know that radio I found, do you think I could get it to play some-”

“No. Tell me what you’re actually thinking about.” Jongin interrupts him and Chanyeol searches his brain for another lie. Apparently he takes too long because Jongin says in a tired voice: “It’s Kyungsoo, isn’t it?” 

“Well...” Chanyeol starts but from the sigh Jongin lets out he knows there is no idea to try and worm his way out if this one. “I just don’t get why you don’t like him.” 

“Well I don’t get why you’re so obsessed with him.” Jongin retorts. Now it’s Chanyeol’s turn to sigh. 

“He’s nice, a little blunt at times yes but he’s a good person.” Chanyeol argues. He knows Jongin can sometimes clash with people if they too are stubborn but Kyungsoo hasn’t seemed like that kind of person. He is more straightforward than he is stubborn. 

“You say that about everyone.” Jongin snorts and Chanyeol removes his fingers from the other’s hair. 

“I’m serious Jongin. You’re straight up rude towards him. I don’t get why you don’t want him in the highrise.” He sits up, propping himself on his elbow so he can see the other’s face. Jongin is stubbornly not meeting his eyes but Chanyeol knows that if he’s just patient his partner will tell him what’s on his mind. 

“What if he’s dangerous? He’s from the metro. What if he’s some sort of spy or something wanting to lead the mutants here?” Jongin says but his arguments sound half hearted, as if he knows how silly they sound. 

“Why would he be helping the mutants?” Chanyeol asks, frowning. Jongin only shrugs in reply. 

“I don’t trust him. We don’t know who he is.” Jongin mumbles weakly. 

“We didn’t know who you and Sehun were when you first came to the highrise. You could have been dangerous.” Chanyeol says and he knows he pushing against a wound by mentioning Sehun and Jongin’s past. “But we still gave you a chance to prove yourselves. Why won’t you give Kyungsoo the same chance?” Chanyeol finishes softly, holding his breath once he’s done. Next to him Jongin is breathing heavily and for a moment Chanyeol fears that he made Jongin angry instead of sympathetic. 

“...Alright.” Jongin relents and Chanyeol collapses back onto the mattress with a small whoop of victory. 

“We’re going to market in the great hall tomorrow.” Chanyeol says, a bright smile on his lips. “You’ll see. You’ll like him.” He adds confidently. 

“Yeah yeah. Now sleep.” Jongin chuckles and Chanyeol cuddles up next to his boyfriend, easily finding a comfortable position to sleep in.

* * *

The next morning Chanyeol and Jongin go to seek out Kyungsoo in the sick room where he is still spending his nights. Lay likes having him near to see how his burns are healing and how his eyes are recovering. They are taking longer to heal than first expected and Lay believes it’s because Kyungsoo has never been exposed to any sunlight before. Chanyeol doesn’t really understand how that has anything to do with anything but trusts Lay to know what he’s doing. 

Kyungsoo is busy getting his burns treated when they find him. Lay is sitting behind the smaller and is gently applying an aloe vera salve on the burns on his neck. Chanyeol knows how nice the salve feels on a burn and from the small smile playing on Kyungsoo’s lips he guesses the other agrees with him. 

“Oh, Chanyeol, Jongin. What are you doing here?” Lay asks and Kyungsoo looks up, his already large eyes widening as he takes them in. 

“We’re taking Kyungsoo to the market.” Chanyeol explains and Lay lets out a surprised sound, putting down the jar of salve and standing up. Kyungsoo follows, bending down to scoop up his backpack by the side of the bed. 

“Pick up some sunglasses while you’re there. It will help your eyes” Lay tells Kyungsoo who nods but otherwise doesn’t say anything. “Alright, have fun.” Lay smirks at them and Chanyeol feels like he’s a 10 years old telling his parents he’s going on his first solo adventure from the tone in Lay’s voice. 

“Let’s go.” Jongin says and Chanyeol nudges him slightly in the side. Jongin sends him a look as if to ask what he’s doing and Chanyeol mouths _be nice_. Jongin sucks on his lips before forcing out a smile to Kyungsoo who only returns it with a confused look. 

Chanyeol decides it’s time to actually go and leads the way to the stairs where they quietly start descending towards the lower floors where the market is. Jongin is walking in front and Kyungsoo in the back and Chanyeol starts to think that maybe this plan had been better in theory than in practise. He’s searches his brain for something to say to break the awkward silence that has arisen between them when Kyungsoo opens his mouth. 

“How old are you Chanyeol-ssi?” He asks and Chanyeol is a little taken aback by the question. 

“I’m 22.” He answers after a moment. “And Jongin’s 19.” He gestures towards Jongin who makes a small noise of confirmation. 

“Oh...” Kyungsoo says. “Can I call you Hyung? And speak comfortably to you Jongin-ssi?” He asks and Chanyeol stops walking at the strange question. He sends Jongin a look who seem just as puzzled. WHy would Kyungsoo wants to refer to him as his older brother?

“Um...why?” Chanyeol asks and Kyungsoo’s eyes grow vide in shock. 

“I just...I thought we had gotten that close by now.” He explains and Chanyeol feels his heart swell a little. Maybe this is some weird metro thing. 

“We are. But why would you call me Hyung?” He asks and Kyungsoo frowns. 

“Because you’re older than me.” He says as if it explains anything and Chanyeol shrugs, guessing that if that’s what Kyungsoo wants to do then he can. 

“Alright.” He nods and Kyungsoo smiles, directing his eyes towards Jongin who still hasn’t answered his question. 

“Speak comfortably all you want.” He says and Kyungsoo nods, taking a few steps down the stairs until he’s walking next to Chanyeol. 

They continue their walk down to the great heal, chatting among themselves now that Kyungsoo had broken the ice. Chanyeol notices that whatever agreement that Kyungsoo had done with the two of them has changed the way he spoke. With Chanyeol he still speaks mostly the same, still adding the long vowel sound at the end of his sentences but with Jongin he has dropped it and now his speech now sounded closer to what Chanyeol is used to hearing. He has also started calling Jongin ‘Jongin-ah’ which was the cutest thing Chanyeol has ever heard and decides to adopt immediately. He had asked if Kyungsoo could call him Chanyeol-ah too but Kyungsoo had stubbornly shook his head at that, explaining that: _but Hyung. I’m only 20. I can’t use banmal to you._ Just like the first questions Kyungsoo had asked Chanyeol can’t make sense of that answer but decides to drop it because being called Hyung by Kyungsoo is pretty nice too. 

They reach the great hall a moment later, the large floor opening up to them. It’s lined with stalls selling whatever the residents of the highrise might need and in the middle there is a square of eight stands selling different kinds of foods to snack on. Chanyeol excitedly looks down towards Kyungsoo, wanting to ask him if there is anything like the markets in the metro, but the smaller male has his eyes screwed shut, shielding his them from the bright light in the hall. 

“We should probably start with those sunglasses.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo nods, holding out his hand for someone to take. Much to Chanyeol’s surprise Jongin grabs it before he can react. He smiles brightly towards his boyfriend who only rolls his eyes and drags Kyungsoo along towards the nearest stall. 

“How about these ones?” Chanyeol asks, pointing at a pair of large square ones with barely any scratches. Kyungsoo squints towards where he’s pointing but doesn’t seem to be able to see much. 

“No! They’re too big for him.” Jongin protests, picking up a pair of smaller round ones and pushing them into Kyungsoo’s hands for him to try on. The smaller fumbles with them for a moment before putting them on and looking up at Jongin with a surprised expression before letting his eyes wander over the great hall. 

“Looks good on you.”Jongin says and Chanyeol walks around the shorter to get a better look at Kyungsoo. The sunglasses fit him nicely, the black thick frames contrasting well with the pale whiteness of his skin and the small gold accent at the corner of the frames adding a little bit of personality. Kyungsoo nods a little, still looking around the great hall with a fascinated look. 

“They’re yours for 10 if you want them.” The shopkeeper says and Kyungsoo turns around with a blank face. 

“I’ll give you 5.” He says and the woman on the other side of the table frowns and sends Chanyeol a look. 

“No...They’re 10.” She repeats, slower this time. 

“Alright. 6.” Kyungsoo says, taking off the sunglasses and squinting at them in the bright light. “See...they’re scratched. Barely worth even 4. 6 is a great deal” 

“Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol says with a strained smile. “10. They’re 10.” He says, grabbing Kyungsoo’s hand where he’s holding out the sunglasses to the lady to point out the scratches and pulling it back so he can’t cause any more damage. 

“Fine.” Kyungsoo says with a roll of his eyes and pulls his backpack off his back and sticks his hand in one of the pockets. A moment later he pulls out a rather large looking pouch, opens it and starts fishing out its contents. “I could have totally gotten them for 8.” He mumbles before not so gently placing down 10...are those bottle caps?

“Um...Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol says again, starting to feel a little embarrassed by the other’s behaviour. He looks to his side for support from Jongin but of course the other has already moved along and is fiddling with something four stalls down, clearly having abandoned Chanyeol to deal with the situation. 

“Is this some sort of joke?” The shopkeeper asks as, reaching out to grab the sunglasses but Kyungsoo quickly pulls them out of her reach. 

“You got your money.” He says and puts the sunglasses on and Chanyeol has to stop him from walking away. 

“That isn’t money Kyungsoo.” He whispers to the smaller man and Kyungsoo stops, refusing to meet his eyes. 

“Yes it is.” He protests and Chanyeol sends the shopkeeper another strained smile. She doesn’t return it. 

“No it isn’t.” Chanyeol insists. 

“Pay me or I’ll call the guards.” The woman threatens and Chanyeol feels himself panic a little. 

“Of course. Just.” He chuckles. “It’s a joke, haha!” He pulls out his own pouch from his pocket and fishes out ten small hairpins and hands them over. The lady doesn’t thank him. “Let’s go.” He whispers to Kyungsoo who quickly turns around and grabs his bottle caps before stalking away in the direction of Jongin. 

“Here.” Kyungsoo says once they’re far away enough from the shop keep for her to not hear them. Chanyeol feels him press the 10 bottlecaps into his hand. He accepts them simply because he doesn’t know what else to do with them. 

“What happened?” Jongin asks once they reach him. Kyungsoo remains silent and Chanyeol feels he should maybe rethink his impression of Kyungsoo not being stubborn. 

“Kyungsoo doesn’t have any money.” Chanyeol explains quietly and Jongin’s eyebrows shoot up under his long bangs. 

“I thought you told me he was a merchant.” Jongin replies. 

“I do have money.” Kyungsoo interrupts, voice flat. “Just not the kind you guys use uptop.” 

“You mean real money.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo raises his hand as if to punch Jongin. Chanyeol startles, reaching out to grab Kyungsoo when a familiar voice calls out for them. 

“Jongin, Chanyeol! Who is this?” 

The trio freezes before turning towards the voice. An old woman is smiling at them, waving slightly as she slowly shuffles forwards. Kyungsoo immediately lowers his arm and bows deeply in greeting for the newcomer. Jongin breaks out into a bright smile that Chanyeol feels himself mimic. 

“Nana!” He quickly hurries over, pulling along Kyungsoo and steering them all towards the seating by one of the stands in the center. 

“Hello to you too dear.” She says, pulling him down into a hug that has him bending almost double. Jongin is next, happily accepting a hug of his own. She sighs as she lets them go, getting that look in her eyes that Chanyeol has never managed to figure out what it means. 

“And who are you?” She says with a small smile at Kyungsoo who straightens and nervously pulls at his shirt. 

“I’m Do Kyungsoo. Please take care of me.” He says and if Chanyeol hadn’t heard someone introduce themselves in the same way on one of the old dvds he’s managed to get working he would have never understood what the words meant. Kyungsoo bows deeply again, holding it there for a moment before hesitantly straightening up as if he’s not sure if he should bow some more or not. 

“Would you look at that. Finally someone with manners.” Nana says with a bright smile, bowing ever so slightly in return to Kyungsoo. “You’re not from around here are you?” She asks, starting to add the same weird wovel at the end of her sentences as Kyungsoo. 

“No. I’m from the metro.” Kyungsoo says, smiling. “Are you also from there?” He asks excitedly. 

“No.” Nana shakes her head and Kyungsoo’s smile falls. “I’m from before the bombs.” She says and Kyungsoo’s eyes widens. “You’re the first one I’ve heard using Jondaemal in what has to be 50 years.” 

“People don’t use it up here?” Kyungsoo asks but it sounds more like a statement. Nana nods. 

“No honorifics either.” She adds and Kyungsoo nods in realization. Chanyeol decides that that’s enough talk about things he doesn’t understand and breaks off the conversation. 

“How about we grab something to eat?” He suggests and they all agree, moving to the nearest stand and Chanyeol goes to order a baked sweet potato from them all. As he waits for his order to cook he looks back to the table where Jongin, Nana and Kyungsoo are sitting. Kyungsoo is giggling about something Nana is saying and Jongin is smiling broadly. He feels his chest swell at the sight. It reminds him of when Sehun was still with them, to watch Jongin laugh together with someone and feel the love swell in his chest. It is hard finding people Jongin is truly comfortable with and while his boyfriend and Kyungsoo are still clashing something about watching them laugh told him that they can be a great match given enough time. 

A moment later he receives his sweet potatoes and makes his way over to the table, handing them one each. Jongin hungrily digs in, using his teeth to open the potato and blowing on it to cool it down. Nana does the same but Kyungsoo just looks on with a confused look. 

“What is this?” He asks, hesitating to sink his teeth in it the same way the others had. 

“A sweet potato.” Chanyeol says happily. “Try it.” He watches as Kyungsoo clumsily tears his open with his teeth before looking over at Jongin and watching what he does. Jongin is hungrily nibbling on the sweet orange flesh and Kyungsoo slowly takes a small amount into his mouth before his eyes widens in surprise. 

“It’s sweet.” He says and Jongin snorts. 

“Yeah. It’s a sweet potato.” He says but Kyungsoo ignores him in order to take a larger bite of the vegetable, grimacing as it burns his tongue. Chanyeol stops with his potato halfway to his mouth, feeling hot all over despite not having eaten any of the warm snack. Kyungsoo’s tongue darts out to catch some sweet potato still stuck to his plush lips, so very similar to the lips he loves to kiss to much. A moment later he lets out a small sigh and Chanyeol’s mouth suddenly feels dry. 

“You gonna eat that?” Jongin asks from his side and Chanyeol tears his eyes away from Kyungsoo just as he takes another bite. 

“Uh...” Chanyeol looks down at the sweet potato in his hand and takes a large bite. “Yeah.” He forces out from his full mouth and Jongin rolls his eyes. Chanyeol thickly swallows down the mouthful, looking over at Jongin who’s giving him a knowing look. 

Chanyeol pretends he doesn’t see it. He already knows what it means and that his promise to Jongin not to bring another person into their relationship after Sehun’s death is going to be almost impossible to keep.


	6. Chapter 6 - Jongin

Chanyeol’s words linger in his mind, their last embrace still keeping him warm in the quickly dropping temperature. It’s always the same whenever one of them have to spend the night on watch duty. A goodbye that neither of them acknowledge for what it is. The thought that one of them wouldn’t return from the bottom floor is too much to bear on a good day. On a bad day it’s all Jongin can think of. 

While he wouldn’t exactly count this as a bad day he would definitely say that since Kyungsoo showed up at the complex he hasn’t really had a good day. It’s not Kyungsoo’s fault, neither is Chanyeol’s but isn’t life so much easier when you can blame your shortcomings on someone other than yourself? Which is why he had planned on blaming Kyungsoo for intruding in their highrise but that plan had gone in the gutter whenever the smaller had wrapped his rough fingers around his hand and blindly trusted Jongin to guide him through the highrise complex. He had decided on blaming Chanyeol after that despite knowing that he could never be angry with the giant goofball. 

In the end he is stuck with blaming himself for refusing to return the trust Kyungsoo so readily denies ever giving him. He knows he’s stubborn, he has always been, but he can’t bring himself to let go of the thought that Kyungsoo can’t mean any good. Because when was the last time anything truly good had happened to them? It’s better to be safe than hurt. The more you hold dear the more you have to lose.

He sighs as he turns the corner on yet another landing and continues down the endless staircase. The occupied part of the highrise is from the 20th floor and up and the elevators are long since out of order, meaning you had to take the stairs whenever you wanted to go anywhere. As he nears the bottom floors the night grows colder around him, the warming rays from the sun exchanged for the cold glow of the moon. He starts longing to crawl back into Chanyeol’s embrace. He absently wonders what the other is doing now, if he’s alone tinkering with some gadget or if he has already gone to bed. He wonders if Chanyeol will seek out Kyungsoo tonight, pester him about the metro until Jongin has to save the other from the deadly glare of the tunnel dweller. 

A fond smile grows on his lips as he thinks back to how the smaller could make Chanyeol laugh at the same time as a heavy pit grows in his stomach. He knows where Chanyeol is heading. He has seen those looks before, seen where the excited chatting and eagerness leads too. He used to share them too after all, back before when it was still the three of them. 

But then nothing good is made to last and together with Sehun a piece of themselves left that Jongin has never really seemed to find again. He suspects that Chanyeol didn’t really heal either. There is still a piece of them missing. Jongin, Chanyeol and...no one.

He remembers when it had just happened and all Jongin had wanted to do was to forget that there had ever been more than the two of them and all Chanyeol had seemed to focus on was filling a space that could never be filled again. He knows it’s not fair on Chanyeol, someone made to love as much as possible, but Jongin doesn’t regret making Chanyeol promise to never bring another person into them ever again. It is what is best for the two of them, it is what allowed them to start stitching themselves back together. 

But then Kyungsoo had to come and ruin it all and Jongin can’t even be mad at him. All he can do is watch as the carefully balanced scale starts to tip and hope that in the end he won’t be the one with an empty bowl once again. 

Finally the stairs end and Jongin pushes the door to the bottom floor open carefully. It’s dark around him, the only light around coming from a small fire pit by the south exit. It’s the exit that leads out towards the street and the only one not carefully barred. There is already people around and Jongin can make out Minseok and Junmyeon’s ash blonde hair from the light of the fire. There is a handful of people sitting around the fire but no one Jongin would call his friend. 

He sinks down on one of the sandbags and pulls his gun off his back, taking the face mask Junmyeon holds out to him. They’re talking, which is a good sign. If people are talking that means the night has been uneventful so far. 

“Why the extra watch?” Jongin asks as he counts the heads around the fire. 9. That’s one more than usual. Maybe the scouts had spotted something on today’s expedition. He turns to Minseok for an explanation but to his surprise it’s Junmyeon who answers. 

“Kyungsoo wanted to see how we do the watch up top.” 

Jongin frowns, quickly scanning the people around the fire and realizing the one turned away from the fire and quietly staring out into the night is indeed Kyungsoo. He looks different in the dark. His otherwise squinting eyes are opened wide and his ever so cautious posture relaxed. He looks at home in the darkness and Jongin realizes that this must be what he is used too. 

Quietly he stands up to move over to the smaller and Kyungsoo quickly turns to look at him, face hidden behind a facemask. Jongin waves a little and sits down on the sandbag next to the other, looking out through the darkness to try and spot what the other is seeing. All he’s met with is an ocean of blackness, the light from the fire only lighting up the nearest 5 meters. 

“What are you looking at?” He asks, feeling a chill run up his spine as a cold wind creeps over them. 

“Nothing.” Kyungsoo says and Jongin nods a little as if he’s understanding. “Hopefully it will stay that way.” 

This time Jongin makes a small noise of agreement, hoping that the worst they’ll spot is a stray cat or two. Their highrise is rarely attacked but to leave the gates to their safety unguarded is nothing but naïve. The best they can do is gather around the fire each night and hope that whatever is watching from the shadows will remain there. 

During his time on watch duty Jongin had only experienced a real attack once. He still shudders as he remembers the pack of what he believes had once been dogs spring at them, their teeth glinting in the moonlight and their howls turning his blood to ice. Chanyeol who is older has experienced three more attacks and not even his usually ever so cheerful spirit came out unscated from those. 

He turns his eyes away from the darkness and back towards the firepit. Junmyeon and Minseok are discussing something, fingers pointed at a small map illuminated by the fire. Most likely new scouting routes to try and find something as of yet unexplored. Junmyeon is the highrises head of defence and Minseok is their expedition leader. Their tanned skins and blond hairs proof of how many hours they have spent under the sun’s harsh rays in defence of the highrise’s best. Junmyeon spends more nights than anyone by the firepit and Jongin wonders, not for the first time, if the dark circles under his eyes are from lack of sleep or from seeing too much. 

“Why are you here?” He asks Kyungsoo and it comes out sounding harsher than he means to. Kyungsoo seems undisturbed by that though, his large eyes only blinking slowly once before he answers. 

“I wanted to see what it is like. Keeping watch on the surface.” He turns to look at Jongin for a short moment almost as if daring him to ask him more but Jongin’s never been one to back down from a dare. 

“Is it different...from the metro?” He wonders and Kyungsoo shakes his head before frowning and changing it to a nod. 

“It’s probably the one thing we have in common.” He starts and Jongin leans in to hear his quiet voice better. “But it’s nothing like the metro at all. Even the darkness is different up top.” 

“How?” Jongin says. How can darkness be different? He turns his eyes back to the black sea surrounding him and tries to think how it could be anything other than what it is. Next to him Kyungsoo remains silent for a long time and Jongin has already accepted the fact that he’s not going to get an answer when the deep voice cuts through the night. 

“The darkness lives in the metro. It’s its home. Up here it’s nothing more than a guest.” 

The words creep up his spine and wraps themselves around his chest with an icy coldness Jongin has never experienced before. Suddenly every shadow seems like a threat, like one spindly finger reaching out towards him by some unknown creature. He pulls at his sleeves but the usually warm turtleneck feels cold and foreign against his skin. 

“I can’t imagine what it’s like down there.” He admits and Kyungsoo nods slowly, agreeing to his words. That only makes the aching pit of worry in Jongin’s gut grow. 

“What do you keep watch for in the metro?” Junmyeon asks and Jongin turns to look at him. The blonde has moved closer, sitting down next to Kyungsoo who greets him with a small bow. 

“The same as you I assume...” Kyungsoo says. “Mostly the reptiles.” 

“The reptiles?” Junmyeon asks and Jongin nods quietly. He has never heard of the reptiles. Up here it’s mostly the Crawlers that they have to keep watch for. Kyungsoo actually tears his eyes away from the darkness to answer this question. 

The reptiles turns out to be mutated lizards, grown until they’re the size of a large dog and their skin almost translucent. They’re blind but they can feel the vibrations of any movement through the tunnel walls. They use humans to nest their young, laying their eggs in your gut and then letting their small ones eat you from the inside out. 

The metro also houses the eyeless. Kyungsoo describes them as humans except without a head. Their arms are long enough to drag on the ground when they walk and their headless torsos hold nothing but a gaping mouth hungering for whatever they can sink their teeths in. Mostly they keep to hunting lizards and rats in the metro but when food grow scarce they will turn towards the stations. 

“They rarely feed when they attack the stations though.” Kyungsoo says softly, as if he’s admitting a secret. “They seem to kill for sport.” 

Jongin swallows, his fingers busy fiddling with a loose thread on his knee. Junmyeon nods next to them, a look of deep concentration on his face. 

“How about the centipedes? I heard that where they found you was crawling with centipedes.” The blond asks and Kyungsoo frowns for a moment. 

“I haven’t seen them before in the metro. But there are a lot of things hiding in the tunnels.” The smaller answers and Jongin gets the distinct feeling Kyungsoo is not referring to neither centipedes nor rats. He wonders what could be hiding beneath his feet right at this moment, hidden in a darkness thicker than Jongin will ever know and waiting for an unsuspecting traveller to come across it. Perhaps 3 meter long centipedes aren’t too bad after all. 

“It must be awful.” Jongin says. “Knowing you’re never alone.” 

Kyungsoo shakes his head, turning to look at the darkness with a eyes that suddenly seem older than Nana’s. “It’s better to walk through a tunnel and see a rat or a lizard than nothing at all. I always listen for the sound of life. It’s not dangerous until you are alone.” 

“Why?” Jongin asks, immediately regretting doing so. The more he hears about the tunnels, the less he wants to know. 

“If you’re alone that means something else has already picked off all the lizards and the rats. If you’re alone that means you’re at a place where not even the lowest of creatures dare to enter. If you’re alone, it means there is something else in the tunnel with you.” Kyungsoo says. 

Jongin decides to keep quiet after than, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. He had always prefered being alone because then you knew you were truly safe but now... He shivers and shifts closer to the fire. Minseok must have noticed something in his face because the next moment he’s placing a gentle hand on Jongin’s shoulder and offering him a cup of hot tea made from the herbs they grow on the roof. 

He can still hear Junmyeon and Kyungsoo talk silently, Kyungsoo asking about the different kind of mutants they have here on the surface. He shifts closer to Minseok and Kyungsoo’s words ring in his head once more. It’s not dangerous until you’re alone. They are alone right now. The nine of them surrounded by nothing but empty blackness. Something else had already been there, picked the place clean, and now here they are like sitting ducks. 

“Hey, you alright?” Minseok asks and Jongin forces himself to nod. 

“Yeah. It’s just the darkness.” He says and Minseok sends him a sympathetic smile. 

“Should I tell Junmyeon to stop?” The older asks as Junmyeon describes a Crawler. Jongin wishes he would have left out the part about the large hands on the bottom of the long legs holding up the three meter tall creature by its fingertips. Jongin is about to shake his head and say that Junmyeon can keep gathering information when he notices the others around the fire. Just like him they’ve curled in on themselves, the chatter that usually surrounds the firepit having died long ago and the only sound being the whispered descriptions from Junmyeon and Kyungsoo. 

“Please.” Jongin says and Minseok nods, moving over to the other two and gently pulling Junmyeon away. Silence lowers itself over the group and Jongin keeps sipping at his tea, feeling it slowly warm him from the inside and out. The feeling of being alone leaves him as quietly as it came, leaving him with the impression that maybe he had just imagined it all. 

He offers Kyungsoo a cup of tea but the smaller declines it with a small shake of his head. Jongin decides to drink that cup too to chase away the last of the cold still holding on to his bones. Around him the small talk has started up again and Jongin quietly listens to the mingling stories of what’s happening around the highrise. 

A gentle pat on his shoulder has him turning back towards Kyungsoo who is staring at something in the sky. Jongin raises an eyebrow at him and follows his gaze. A lone star is shining in the sky, the clouds having parted only for it it seems. Kyungsoo’s hand taps him again, this time more rapidly and Jongin decides to move to sit next to the other again. 

“What’s that?” Kyungsoo asks, sounding breathless. Jongin looks up at the star again and then back at Kyungsoo, noticing the almost frightened look in his eyes. 

“It’s a star.” Jongin explains. “It’s like the sun except much much more far away.” 

“Are they dangerous?” Kyungsoo asks and Jongin feels a laugh bubble out of him before he can stop it. 

“No.” He replies with a small smile. Next to him Kyungsoo relaxes once more, eyes still turned towards the sky. He wonders what it’s like for Kyungsoo, never having seen the sky before. To always be surrounded by 4 walls and endless tunnels. He almost wishes he too can experience seeing a star for the first time. 

“It’s cloudy tonight.” Jongin says, and almost as if on cue the clouds hide the star once more. “But when it’s clear the whole sky is filled with them.” He holds up a hand towards the sky. “It’s like...like when you rub your eyes too hard and you can see colours and sparks for a moment. Except it’s everywhere. And sometimes the moon is bright enough to light up the darkness and it looks like everything is made out of silver.” He lets his hand paint the image on the black sky, waves of deep blue and turquoise behind the sprinkle of lights. Kyungsoo’s hand joins his, awkwardly mimicking the motions. 

Jongin licks his lips and points towards a corner of the sky he knows well. “There are different images hidden among the stars. Over there is a warrior.” He traces his fingers along a line where three stars usually shine in a row. “He was said to be the mightiest warrior among them all. He could hunt down any animal no matter how large. One day the warrior fell in love with a nymph who promised him that if he could catch the largest beast in the universe she would marry him. The warrior set out to hunt and searched for days until he found a bear as tall as two men. He killed it and brought it to the nymph who only shook her head and told him to bring her something bigger. So the warrior went out searching again and found an even bigger bear but once again the nymph was unsatisfied. So he continued until one day there were nothing more to hunt. When he returned to the nymph he told her he had brought her every beast to ever walk the earth and that now she had keep her promise and marry him. But she only shook her head and gently pointed to the moon.” He lets his finger draw a large circle in the sky. “Bring me the moon and I will be forever yours, she said. Driven mad by love the warrior started chasing the moon. He ran through the forest, over the fields and up, up, up the tallest mountain. Once he reached the top he took a giant leap and launched himself into the sky. Now he’s stuck there forever, constantly chasing the moon for his love.” Jongin finishes, letting his hand drop. He blinks up at the sky once more before letting his eyes trail to Kyungsoo who is still reaching out towards the sky. His eyes are wide and bright like a child’s, taking in the darkness and searching for the faintest traces of light. 

“It sound beautiful.” Kyungsoo says, his hand twisting in the air as if he is reaching out to wipe the clouds away. 

“It is.” Jongin confirms, still looking at Kyungsoo. The other paints another broad stroke with his hand before letting it drop back down to his lap again. With a deep sigh he tears his eyes away from the sky and looks down to the ground again. Jongin keeps his eyes on the other as he bends down and pulls a scarf from his backpack, the same one Minseok had used to cover his eyes when they had found him. It had been washed clean of blood and dirt and now Jongin can see it’s a deep green colour that Chanyeol would love. 

Kyungsoo carefully wraps it around his neck, pulling at it until it lays comfortably and shrugging up his shoulders and burying his nose in the fabric. Jongin suddenly gets the urge to reach out and pull up the scarf until it covers the bottom of Kyungsoo’s ears that have started to go red from the cold. Instead he turns away to make himself a third cup of tea for the night, suddenly feeling thirsty. 

As he is pouring Junmyeon a cup, smiling as the other apologizes for scaring him earlier, the sound of someone loading their gun suddenly echoes through the night. The cup slips from his fingers as he hurries to look for where the sound is coming from, his own gun still lying uselessly next to Kyungsoo. Behind him Kyungsoo have stood up, gun aimed into the darkness and an eye looking down the sight. Jongin can hear Junmyeon ordering everyone to get battle ready and scrambles for his gun, eyes glued to where Kyungsoo is aiming the gun. 

He can see nothing but darkness but he still quickly brings the gun up to his face so he too can look down the sight the moment his fingers close around the weapon. The darkness stares back at him and Jongin sends Junmyeon a nervous look, waiting for further order. Junmyeon is reaching for the flashlight on his gun but Kyungsoo reaches out and stops him without a word. Jongin can hear the others start whispering quietly, wondering what is going on. 

The smatter of bullets shatters the silence and Jongin jumps, letting his gun drop as he looks over at Kyungsoo who just fired. The smaller is still looking down his sight, fingers tightening on the automatic rifle in his hand. Jongin swallows, looking back towards the darkness. 

A lone blue eye looks back at him, the orb floating two meters above ground at the end of the street and for the second time that night Jongin feels his blood freeze. 

“PASSENGER!” Minseok roars and immediately the group of nine jump into action. Jongin fumbles with his gun as he tries to remove the safety and in front of them the giant orb rises in the distance until it’s hovering five meters above ground. A moment later the ground shakes as a giant foot stomps against the tarmac. 

“Fire!” Junmyeon orders and the sound of gunfire fills the night only to be drowned out by a screech cutting through Jongin like a knife a second later. The sound presses against him like a blanket, drilling deep into his skull and continuing to ring for many long seconds after. Next to him Kyungsoo is quickly emptying his clip, his aim steady but as he moves to reload his shaking hands can’t open the buckle on his bag. 

The ground shakes as the giant takes another step and Jongin dives down next to Kyungsoo, forcefully tearing open the bag. Kyungsoo shouts at him to shoot, pushing him away with frantic urgency. Jongin raises his gun, aiming it at the floating blue orb and pressing the trigger. 

Nothing.

His heart pounds in his chest as he starts fiddling with the safety again. He can hear his own panicked breathing but it sounds almost far away, as if he is watching himself struggle with the stubborn mechanism. With a cry he slams his palm into the pin and finally it clicks loose, tearing away a long gash of flesh in his thumb. Jongin ignores the pain and once more aims his gun at the orb just as the ground rumbles again. 

The handful of flashlights from their watch duty light up the grotesque creature in front of them. It’s tall, its head reaching almost 3 stories in the air, and humanoid in shape. Its thin, long limbs are covered in a white leathery skin and the only distinguishable feature is the icy blue eye in the centre of its head. It walks towards them slowly, almost calmly, as if it knows that no matter their efforts to stop it it will reach its goal. 

Jongin points his rifle at the blue eye, ignoring how it chills him to the bone, and fires. Another shriek fills the air, this one impossibly louder, and the creature lifts its long arms, swiping in blind fury. A large palm hits the empty building next to it, sweeping through it with ease and tearing out almost an entire floor. 

“GET DOWN!” Minseok orders and Jongin dives to the ground as the debris start to rain down on him. Kyungsoo falls down next to him a moment later, a large rock having hit his shoulder and knocked him off his feet. The sound of someone’s bones cracking reaches Jongin’s ears along with the heavy thuds of rubble hitting flesh. He knows he should probably be hurting, he can feel the bruises that are going to form tomorrow but the adrenaline cruising through his body makes him blind to any pain. 

The rain of debris stops and Jongin quickly scrambles to his feet, pulling up his gun and searching for the icy glow. The creature is once again shrouded in darkness but the eye glows even stronger than before, clearly aimed at their small group. The gunfire starts up around him again and Jongin takes aim. 

The creature roars, the sound hitting them like a wave of sound. His ears ring and his vision swims but in the flickering light of the slowly returning flashlights Jongin can make out the creature raising its arms and slamming them into the ground. The earth shakes and he stumbles, almost falling down. Next to him someone screams in pain as the pot of boiling tea tips out over the ground and Jongin can feel the scalding liquid soak through his shoes. 

The creature launches at him the next moment, limbs moving faster than what should be possible for something that large. It’s only 50 meters away. 35 in the next second. 20. Jongin grabs whoever is next to him as he dives out from the safety of their small camp and pulls them along. 

The next second a large hand slams down on the sandbags where he and Kyungsoo had been discussing stars mere minutes ago. The long fingers curl into the ground, claws cutting through the concrete road like butter, and grab a small figure. Slowly, almost leisurely it brings the figure up and for a moment Jongin fears it’s Kyungsoo caught in the creature’s grasp before a long ponytail lips out between the spindly fingers. 

She lives next door to him and Chanyeol and three months ago Jongin had borrowed a book from her that he had yet to read. It’s her favourite book and she had made him promise to return it quickly. 

The creature’s eye looks down into her terrified face and slowly it opens its maw. A thin crack opens along its jawline before growing until all Jongin can see are the thousand upon thousand of teeth lining the mouth. The woman screams and for a moment Jongin thinks the creature is grinning but then someone is turning him around and pulling him along. The scream is replaced by a wet gurgle the next second and Jongin feels his stomach turn. 

“The eye! Aim for the eye!” Kyungsoo shouts into his ear and Jongin feels a gun being pressed into his hands. His own lays dropped by the fire, pipe bent. He looks down at the foreign gun, feeling its heavy weight in his hands, and slowly turns it over. 

“For goodness sake Jongin SHOOT!” Kyungsoo cries, his voice cracking as he searches for something in his bag, tearing out its contents with panicked movements. The sound seems to have alerted the creature because next it turns its eye towards the two of them. Jongin is pressing down on the trigger before he can register what he’s doing. 

The bullets tear through the blue orb and the creature shrieks, writhing in pain as it drops the half eaten corpse of Jongin’s neighbour. Jongin keeps the trigger pressed down, feeling the kick of each bullet against his shoulder. He’s screaming, out of fear or rage he doesn’t know. The gun grows hot in his hands and Jongin knows he should stop or else it will overheat but if he can just hit the eye once more maybe the creature will die. 

“GET DOWN!” Kyungsoo shouts next to him and Jongin can see him throw something towards the creature. The next second he’s being pulled down and told to open his mouth. He closes his eyes and braces, for what he doesn’t know. A long second passes where nothing happens and Jongin turns to look toward the Passenger. 

The next second the dynamite goes off and the creature is engulfed in a cloud of sand and fire. A wave of heat washes over him, burning his eyes but Jongin still can’t look away. The cloud rises, mixing with the dust in the air. A second explosion goes off as the dust catches fire and the force of it presses Jongin flat against the ground. He can feel the air rush past him as the giant fire cloud sucks it in to feed itself and the scalding hot drops of what he suspects are blood hit his skin but all he can see is white blinding light. His ears are ringing, an insistent shrill note all he can hear. 

The cloud rises and rises, shattering the windows on the bottom floors of their highrise with its heat, before finally dissipating into the night. Behind it it leaves nothing but deafening silence, the quiet darkness of the night rushing back like a wave breaking on the shore. Jongin stays on the ground, not entirely sure whether he’s still alive or not. 

He can feel movements next to him and a clammy hand presses against his chest and face. He blinks, white spots dancing in front of him as the world slowly returns. He can make out Kyungsoo’s worried face above him, smeared with a mixture of dirt and black, thick blood. He groans, coughing lightly to get the dust out of his lungs. His face mask has slipped off during the fighting and Jongin can feel the harsh air burn in his lungs. 

Kyungsoo disappears from his vision and Jongin slowly props himself up on his elbows, the adrenaline of the fight leaving him and being replaced by pain. He blinks the last few spots of white from his vision and looks over to their camp. 

There isn’t much left of it. The burlap of the sandbags is burning quietly, lighting up the gruesome scene. The Passenger, or what’s left of it, lays in the middle. Its limbs have been torn off its body by the force of the explosions and its head lays gaping a few feet away from Jongin, blue eye now dull and bleeding. He flinches as he catches sight of it and slowly gets to his feet. There is no question about whether the creature is dead or not but he still prefers to keep as far from it as possible. 

Around him more people slowly rise, looking around in confusion and apprehension, neither of them really believing that they survived. Kyungsoo is hobbling around on the other side of their camp, helping someone get to their feet. 

“Get inside!” A weak voice calls and Jongin nods, moving towards the entrance to their highrise when something crunches under his feet. He looks down, seeing the pouch of bottle caps belonging to Kyungsoo crushed under his foot. He blinks, looking around himself, and spots the leather bag a few feet away from him, emptied of its contents. He bends down and picks up the pouch before making his way over to the bag. With shaking hands he quickly gather its contents in it. It’s not much. A change of clothes much too warm for the surface, a few spare clips, a bottle of water, a metal box he doesn’t open and two more sticks of dynamite. 

Once he has everything gathered he picks up Kyungsoo’s gun and hoists the bag on his back. People are already filtering into the highrise and coming from inside Jongin can hear Lay ordering people around. Jongin shuffles inside on tired feet, ignoring the heavy smell of burning flesh as he walks through the camp. 

Lay stops him once he gets inside, asking a few quick questions which Jongin doesn’t remember what answer he gave to a moment later. Whatever he had said seems to be the right answer because Lay lets him go and moves on to Junmyeon being dragged in by Minseok a moment later, their defensive leader’s leg bent at an unnatural angle. 

He spots Kyungsoo in front of him, hobbling towards the staircase before starting to make the long climb up to the livable parts of the highrise. Jongin follows and they climb in silence, Jongin falling behind despite Kyungsoo clearly having hurt his leg. His lungs hurt and Jongin sits down for a moment, pulling out the bottle of water in Kyungsoo’s bag and wetting his dry throat. It helps a little with his breathing, clearing some of the dust from his mouth, and when he stands up he finds his legs climbing the stairs with greater strength. 

He almost catches up with Kyungsoo and when they finally reach the 20th floor the sound of frantic voices reach their ears. In the great hall opening up before them almost everyone in the highrise have gathered, being held back from storming down the stairs by the a handful of guards. Jongin blinks and follows Kyungsoo as the smaller pushes past the guards. People easily part for them, quietly asking about the others who were on watch duty. 

Jongin realizes he has no idea of how many of them survived and guilt grows in his guts. He remembers Kyungsoo who is clearly more hurt than him walking around the camp to help the others. Even now the other is quietly answering the questions, his voice flat as he keeps repeating the names of the people who he knows survived. 

“Jongin!” 

Jongin stops, turning towards the voice and a moment later Chanyeol pushes past a group to his right, wrapping his long limbs around him. “You’re alive. You’re alive.” He repeats and Jongin nods, shakily returning the hug. He can feel Chanyeol’s tears soaking through his turtleneck and tightens his arms around the other. 

“They, they woke me up.” Chanyeol says between sobs. “They said there was a Passenger. I thought you were dead. I thought I wouldn’t see you again.” His voice shakes with every word but when Jongin pulls back he can see the other smiling. He finds his own lips quirk up in a weak smile, relief flooding him as he realizes he survived. The feeling warms his aching heart, chasing away the aches and pains he feels and he pulls Chanyeol into a deep kiss. The other’s tears stain his cheeks and mixes with his own and when they part Jongin refuses to let Chanyeol pull away, instead pressing their foreheads together and letting their breaths mingle. 

“Kyungsoo saved us.” He says, a small laugh bubbling out through his lips. “He had dynamite. He saved us.” He can feel Chanyeol nod against him and presses another quick kiss to the others lips. 

“Where is he?” Chanyeol asks and Jongin tears his eyes away from the other, looking over to where he Kyungsoo had been minutes before. Now there is nothing more than a few people helping Junmyeon shuffle to the small clinic. He pulls away, searching the now emptying great hall for the smaller. 

“He...he must have gone already.” He says, fingers curling in Chanyeol’s shirt as if afraid that the other will disappear if he lets go. 

“Alone?” Chanyeol says and Jongin nods, feeling his stomach turn at the word. The image of Kyungsoo alone in his bed, curled up under a flimsy blanket in a cold room floods his mind. Alone and hurt with no one there to chase away the lingering memories of the Passenger. 

“I have his bag. We should-” Jongin starts but Chanyeol stops him. 

“Not today, you need rest.” He says, pulling Jongin along to the staircases leading to the residence area of the highrise. Jongin weakly shakes his head, still looking for the other but Chanyeol easily steers his tired body to their small room and before Jongin can suggest that maybe Kyungsoo should sleep with them tonight the strong pull of sleep have already dragged him under.


	7. Chapter 7 - Kyungsoo

“Doing okay?” Chanyeol asks next to him as he grimaces in pain. Kyungsoo nods his head, waving the other’s worries away with a wave of his hand and continuing up the stairs. His left leg aches and the skin pulls with every movement but Kyungsoo have never been one to complain, much less accept help. 

The skin covering his calf is red and raw, full of scabs from where it had cracked over the days since the night on watch duty. He barely remembers getting hurt, the adrenaline from the fight having muddled his memory, but the burn is proof that the pot of boiling tea had spilled over his leg. Considering what could have happened Kyungsoo guesses he should count himself lucky that all he escaped with was a burn. Still he can’t help the awful mood that had lowered itself over him when he had woken up the day after and found that he hadn’t been able to walk without help. 

He had planned on leaving the highrise in the days following the watch duty, using the watch as an opportunity to scope out his surroundings and the way out of the highrise. He had to continue on his journey after all, his currier mission is still in effect and the sealed envelope is starting to burn against his conscience. This whole thing is for his station after all. His home. 

But who is to say it’s not already too late? Who is to say that the Conductors haven’t already pushed past their defences and massacred the station? Surely when he hadn’t reached the Terminal on time they had sent another currier. But how can he be so sure? It is supposed to be a quiet job, not to be revealed to anyone, and would they really risk a second currier in that case? But yes, they had to. They had to or else...

Kyungsoo feels his guts twist in guilt as he thinks about what will happen to his station if it doesn’t get help soon. And if his station is to fall there is nothing stopping other stations from following the same fate. His backpack feels like it weighs a ton and the climb upwards towards the roof seems to be going on forever. 

“You sure you’re doing okay?” Chanyeol asks, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kyungsoo jerks away from him. 

“I’m fine!” He spits, speeding up in an attempt to get away from the other but only managing a few steps before his leg gives out and he ends up sprawled halfway up the stairs. Chanyeol chuckles behind him and grabs him under his armpits, hoisting him up like he is some sort of child. 

“Just get on my back.” The taller says, crouching down and presenting his back for Kyungsoo to climb up on. Kyungsoo huffs, trying to discreetly relieve pressure from his aching leg. “I won’t tell anyone, promise.” Chanyeol says, sending him a grin from over his shoulder and Kyungsoo relents. With a sigh he wraps his arms around Chanyeol’s shoulders and allows the other to grasp his knees, hoisting him up in a piggyback ride. 

“I swear you’re more stubborn than Jongin at times.” Chanyeol says under his breath as he stands up, hoisting Kyungsoo higher on his back and linking his hands behind his back so Kyungsoo is sitting on his intertwined hands. “At least you’re not _quite_ as heavy.” He comments with a grin and Kyungsoo raises a fist in threat. The loud laughter he gets in response is not what he is expecting and he feels his own lips twitch up in a small smile. 

They start climbing and after a moment Kyungsoo rests his chin on Chanyeol’s shoulder. His thoughts return to the letter in his backpack and he subconsciously tightens his arms around the other. 

The Conductors, or Passengers as they call them on the surface, seems to be a bigger problem than he had first expected. They are attacking his home station, they are roaming the unused tunnels, and now they are attacking the surface too. He has even heard rumors about them starting to attack other remote stations. 

He shudders as the memory of the attack surfaces. He has never faced one standing before. In the tunnels they are always crawling, their long thin limbs soundlessly sneaking up on the station watch if they aren’t careful. The only warning they give before attacking is the glowing blue light of their eye and a deep, quiet chuckle. When he had seen the first glint of blue two nights ago he had been on his feet and aiming his gun at it before fully registering what he had been seeing. They had been lucky that he had done so or else no one would have survived the attack. More than once entire watches had disappeared in Sinmokdong, silently dragged into the tunnel before they had the chance to react. They are luckily the Conductors never go unseen all the way to the station entrance. 100 meters into the tunnel the barricade stands, strong lights lighting up the tunnel and forcing the mutants to come out of hiding. That barricade is probably the reason his station has lasted as long as it has. 

But up here, on the surface, they don’t have a barricade to keep them protected from the Conductors. All they have here is a small night watch that aren’t going to be able to withstand many more attacks. Maybe only one more attack. How long until this highrise became another abandoned building? 

“Hyung.” He says softly, lifting his head from Chanyeol’s shoulder. The older makes a small noise to show he is listening and Kyungsoo licks his lips. “How often do the con- the Passengers attack?” 

“Oh.” Chanyeol breathes, his climb slowing as he thinks through his answer. Kyungsoo worries for a moment that maybe it is inappropriate of him to ask such a question when Chanyeol had almost lost Jongin in the attack. “Not that often luckily. However...” Chanyeol swallows. “They’re getting more frequent. It can’t have been more than maybe two months since the last attack. And it used to be maybe 4-5 months between them if not longer.” 

Kyungsoo nods, feeling the guilt grow in his guts. It’s obvious that the Conductors are becoming a serious problem up here too. And he is holding a possible solution to it all. But...the station management had told him that the weapon in the envelope is one that could threaten the whole metro if it comes into the wrong hands. 

“Don’t think more about that.” Chanyeol says, jostling Kyungsoo who looks up. “We’re here.” 

In front of them is a white unsuspecting door and Kyungsoo has to admit that he expected the exit to the wonderful plantation they had on the top of the highrise to be a little bit more impressive. He lets Chanyeol put him down and looks around the small ledge. There are no more stairs leading up from this point so they are truly at the top now. He wonders how high it is going to be. Maybe like the main hall in the Terminal where 10 men can stand on each others shoulders and barely reach the ceiling. 

Excitement builds in him and he reaches for the door only to have Chanyeol grab him before he can grab the door handle. 

“Are you crazy?” The taller laughs. “Lay would murder me if you got sunburnt again.” Kyungsoo takes a step back, raising an eyebrow in question. Chanyeol grins at him and pulls out a hat from his backpack before pushing it down on Kyungsoo’s head. Next he presses a pair of fingerless gloves in Kyungsoo’s hands before pulling out the same things for himself. 

Kyungsoo hesitantly pulls on the gloves, wondering if they really need this much equipment just to go outside. He had been fine with a face mask the last time during watch duty. Chanyeol tells him to put on his sunglasses too and holds out a face mask for him to wear. 

Finally they’re ready and Chanyeol sends him an excited look before pushing the door open. The first thing Kyungsoo notices is how bright it is, even with his sunglasses. He squints as he steps outside, barely managing to make out Chanyeol’s tall frame. The outside air presses against him like a wall of dry heat, making it hard to breathe and the little exposed skin he still has is already burning from the harsh rays. How can anyone be outside in this, much less work? 

He reaches out for Chanyeol with a fumbling hand and grabs the back of the other’s shirt. Chanyeol asks him if he’s alright and Kyungsoo manages to wet his mouth enough to force out a positive answer. The cap on his head is pulled further down and the little amount of shadow it provides actually helps him see better. 

Slowly the world comes into view. They’re walking down a small path separating the farmlands on either side of them. On his right is a field of small green plants that Kyungsoo has never seen before and on his left are hundreds of chubby short trees with thick trunks. 

“Jongin!” Chanyeol calls in front of him and Kyungsoo tears his eyes away from the plants to look for Jongin. In front of him the sky stretches out, and out, and out, and out. Kyungsoo takes a stumbling step back, looking up and seeing the blue continue on and on until infinity. He draws a deep breath, blinking rapidly as he searches for a stop to the never ending blueness. 

This can’t be the same outside as the one he had visited during the night. This can’t possibly be what he had seen two days ago. Then the blackness had a cieling, he had been so sure of it. Where the lights had stopped so did the world. When you can’t see more it is because something is stopping it, that’s how things work. Either darkness or a wall and even behind the darkness there is, always, a wall hidden. There had to be. 

He stumbles again, his hands reaching out for anything to steady him. His fingers curl around a railing and Kyungsoo clings on to it with all his might, eyes still trained on the sky. It can’t be. What is stopping them from just being engulfed by the endless blue void. There has to be a ceiling, an end. He tears his eyes away from the sky, curling his body around the railing, and blinks. 

What he sees next only makes the panic in his chest grow. The city stretches out in front of him, equally as endless, and at the bottom of it all is the ground. The safety of the concrete is an eternity away and Kyungsoo is so so high up. What if the ground is truly the ceiling? What if all that is stopping him from falling into the endlessness above him is just his hold on this railing? 

“Um...is he okay?” Kyungsoo hears someone ask behind him but he doesn’t dare to turn around. If he moves he’ll fall and fall and fall until he too becomes a part of the endlessness, reduced to nothing within an eternity of blue. 

“Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol asks and a large hand gently strokes up his back. 

“What the fuck is that?” Kyungsoo asks, his voice cracking as he quickly points upwards before grabbing onto the railing with all his might once more. His knees are beginning to grow weak and he not so gracefully slides down to the ground, still holding on for dear life. 

“What? The sky?” Jongin asks. Kyungsoo screws his eyes shut and the safety of blackness surrounds him. He wants to go back inside where there are walls and ceilings keeping him safe. He never wants to go outside again. 

“The blue thing!” He clarifies, quickly waving towards the ocean of blue above him. Chanyeol’s hand has returned to his back, slowly stroking up and down. 

“That’s just the sky.” Jongin says softly, his voice sounding closer than it did moments ago. Kyungsoo tightens his hold around the railing, fingers aching. He’s heard about the sky before but none of the stories mentioned anything like what is above him. 

“Why doesn’t it stop?” Kyungsoo asks, daring to crack an eye open. Jongin’s kind eyes are looking back at him, seeming completely at ease. Or maybe he’s just unaware of the threat. 

“It’s not supposed to.” Jongin explains, chuckling lightly. Beside him Chanyeol sits down and tries to pull him into his lap. Kyungsoo refuses to be moved, still convinced that the only thing still keeping him on this earth is his grip on the railing. 

“Why-” Kyungsoo gasps, eyes catching another look at the sky and he quickly closes his eyes again. “Why aren’t you falling off?” 

“Falling off?” Jongin repeats and Kyungsoo nods. His sweaty palms are beginning to slip and he quickly tightens his hold once more. “As in fall into the sky?” Kyungsoo nods again. “Kyungsoo you’re not going to fall off.” Jongin laughs and Kyungsoo kicks out with his leg, satisfaction filling him as he hears his heel collide with Jongin’s kneecap. 

“Fuck Kyung-. Look. I’m serious. You’re not going to fall off.” Jongin says, his voice losing its teasing tone. “Look at me and Chanyeol, we’re not falling off.” Kyungsoo shakes his head. No, he’s not going to open his eyes ever again. Not until he’s back inside. 

“Just look.” Jongin says, his hand landing on Kyungsoo’s knee. Kyungsoo sucks in a deep breath, thinking over Jongin’s words. They’re true. Neither Chanyeol nor Jongin is falling off, and Jongin had been outside for a while when they had reached the rooftop. And he hadn’t fallen off during the whole night he had been on watch duty. And neither had he that day when he first entered the above. 

Carefully Kyungsoo cracks an eye open, looking over Jongin who is clearly not holding onto anything. The younger smiles, his eyes crinkling behind his sunglasses, and holds out a hand. 

“You’re not going to fall off.” He says and Kyungsoo tightens his grip on the railing. “Trust me.” 

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, his chest tight, and quickly grabs onto Jongin’s hand with both of his. He half expects the ground to disappear from underneath him, for them both to start tumbling indefinitely, but the solid surface underneath him stays where it is. 

He blinks, looking Jongin up and down as he waits for something to happen. Nothing does. Slowly his confidence grows and he turns to look over at Chanyeol behind him. The taller is still rubbing his back, a worried look in his eyes. He, too, is not holding onto anything in order to stay grounded. 

“We don’t have sky in the metro.” He defends, his voice weak. Chanyeol lets out a loud laugh and Kyungsoo would have hit him too if it hadn’t meant he had to let go of Jongin’s hand to do so. 

“I figured as much.” Chanyeol answers and Kyungsoo turns away from him. Just because he isn’t used to the sky doesn’t mean his reaction is unjustified. He would go so far as to say he’s the only one acting rationally at the threat of infinity. 

“I think it’s going to be okay.” Jongin says, looking past Kyungsoo at Chanyeol. “I’ll watch him. You go and water the plants.” 

Chanyeol makes a small sound of protest, mumbling something about how maybe he should stay until they’re entirely sure Kyungsoo is okay. 

“I’m fine.” Kyungsoo states, making a point of looking up at the sky- Okay bad idea. He quickly looks back at Jongin, squeezing the hand in his hard enough for Jongin to grimace in pain. 

“He’s fine.” Jongin says as Chanyeol opens his mouth to protest again and reluctantly the taller turns away and walks over to the short plants Kyungsoo had seen earlier. 

Chanyeol keeps looking over at them as he works and everytime Jongin just waves gently in response. Slowly Kyungsoo relaxes, starting to feel stupid over his reaction and forcing himself to let go of Jongin’s hand. It’s just the sky. Nothing more than a terrifyingly endless nothing. He has seen worse in the metro. 

After 10 minutes of sitting down Kyungsoo mumbles that Jongin can go back to work. Much to his relief Jongin doesn’t ask him if he’s sure and only nods and helps him stand up. Neither does he mention how Kyungsoo clings to his hand as they walk over to a tall structure next to where Chanyeol is working that Jongin calls a water silo. Kyungsoo sits down in the shadow of it, happy to get out of the sun’s burning rays, and watches as Jongin joins Chanyeol out on the farmland. 

They’ve moved on from the watering and are now picking small pods off of the short plants, chatting among themselves as they work. Kyungsoo watches with fascination, trying to figure out what the plants are. He had seen some plants before, in books with colourful pictures in one of the few libraries in the metro, but he can’t recognize these. Maybe they are something that hadn’t existed before the dust cloud? Down in the metro they can barely grow anything. Except mushrooms. There are a lot of mushrooms in the metro and Kyungsoo finds them quite tasty. Outside from the mushrooms they also have roots of a few different kinds, even one called potato but it’s nothing like the sweet potato Chanyeol had bought him. The metro’s roots are small and dry, good to mash or boil in a stew. Then they also have pigs and the Terminal and a few other stations have hens. That is what their diet consists of down in the metro except for when times get especially dire. But when your choice is between eating mutated lizard meat or starving the choice is pretty easy. 

After a few minutes Kyungsoo gets bored of listening to Chanyeol’s endless pladdering and pulls his backpack off his back. He still needs to mend the buckle Jongin had torn off the night of the attack. He carefully rearranges himself, mindful of his burnt leg, until he is sitting cross legged and pulls his backpack into his lap. He flips the lid open and rummages around until his fingers close around a small metal box which he pulls out. From it he removes thread, a thick leather needle and a thimbleful and sets to work. 

It’s not the first time he has mended this backpack. It’s been with him for 4 years now. It had actually been the first big thing he had bought for the money he has earned as a currier. 65 caps it had cost him even after some haggling but the backpack is probably the most reliable thing in Kyungsoo’s life. Made from high quality pigskin it protects his belongings against almost anything in the hostile tunnels. And Jongin had just torn his brass buckle open, tearing the strap clean off. 

He sends the younger a look but Jongin doesn’t see it, too busy whining at Chanyeol for stealing pods from his bucket. Kyungsoo feels his lips quirk up in a smile and turns back to his backpack. It’s almost like meditating, the constant push of the needle through leather and pulling of thread, and Kyungsoo quickly loses himself in the repetitive task. 

“What are you doing?” Jongin asks and Kyungsoo quietly replies. The strap and buckle are now back where they belong and he has moved on to a hole in the bottom of his backpack where a stubborn rat had managed to gnaw through the pigskin. 

“Huh.” Jongin plops down next to him, leaning over to get a better look at what he is doing. “We’re done for today and it’s about time for dinner. Did you bring any?” He asks and Kyungsoo shakes his head. So far he’s been fed by either Lay in the sickbay or Chanyeol whenever they had gone out on their so called adventures in the highrise. 

“You can have some of mine.” Chanyeol offers, sitting down next to him and wiping the sweat from his forehead. Kyungsoo carefully ties off the thread and bites it off, watching as Jongin hands over a metal box very similar to Kyungsoo’s own to Chanyeol before sitting down with his own. 

Inside the metal box are a sweet potato and small green things Kyungsoo doesn’t recognize. There is also an assortment of leaves. It doesn’t look particularly tasty. Chanyeol picks up one of the green things with his chopsticks and holds it out for Kyungsoo with a small smile. 

“What is it?” Kyungsoo asks, hesitant to put anything unknown in his mouth. 

“Soy bean. It’s full of protein.” Chanyeol explains, pushing the bean closer to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo hesitantly closes his lips around it, slowly chewing the bean. It’s soft and reminds him a little of the tough roots in the metro except in a gentler way. There is also a sweetness to it that almost everything seems to have here in the above. All in all it tastes like nothing Kyungsoo has had before. 

“Good. Isn’t it?” Jongin says through a mouthful of potato. “They’re also good fermented or as tofu but we rarely have that. It’s quite a lot of work so it’s only on special occasions.” He explains and Kyungsoo nods, opening his mouth for Chanyeol to feed him another. 

“Do you grow them on the roof?” Kyungsoo asks, looking around for a plant with the small green beans. It’s hard to see beyond the closest fields and all he sees there is just the trees, the pods Jongin and Chanyeol had been picking and what he believes are the sweet potatoes. It looks almost like the potato farms in the metro except here the leaves are a greenish brown instead of pale white. 

“Yeah.” Chanyeol laughs. “Only spent the past few hours picking them.” 

Kyungsoo frowns at the answer, looking over to the pods he had seen the pair picking. Upon closer inspection he can see the small bumps of beans in each individual pod and his eyes widen in amazement. If only they could have something like this in the metro. It would be a nice change of pace from the endless mushroom stews.

“Don’t you have them in the metro?” Chanyeol asks, carefully wrapping up some sweet potato and soybeans in one of the leaves and holding it out for Kyungsoo to eat. Kyungsoo lets him feed the package into his mouth and slowly chews, sighing as the different flavours mixes. The leaf has a spicy bitterness to it that balances out the sweetness from the potato and the soybeans leave a lingering sense of freshness in his mouth. Next to him Jongin pouts and points at Chanyeol’s lunchbox with his chopsticks, quietly ordering the other to make a package of the same kind for him despite having all the ingredients in his own lunchbox. 

“It’s a little boring without soy sauce but we’ve already used up last years batch and the next batch won’t be done for another few weeks.” Chanyeol says as he prepares Jongin’s package, adding some of the skin of the potato upon Jongin’s request. 

“We have nothing like this in the metro.” Kyungsoo says, snatching some beans and sweet potato from Jongin when the younger is too busy trying to get the huge package into his mouth. 

“What do you eat then?” Chanyeol asks, pulling out a bottle and taking a large swig before holding it out to Kyungsoo. 

“Mushrooms mostly. And potatoes but not the same kind as yours.” He says before drinking some of the water and passing it along to Jongin. “And sausages and rat meat.” 

“You have meat?” Jongin asks with wide eyes, words jumbled by the food in his mouth. Kyungsoo nods, hesitating for a moment before pulling out his metal box and opening it. Inside he has a sausage and some dried mushrooms along with a few thin roots used for spicing among other necessities. He pulls out a knife from one of the small compartments in his bag and slices a thin slice from the sausage, holding it out for Jongin who eyes it like it’s made from gold. 

“Can I?” He asks and Kyungsoo nods. Carefully Jongin plucks the slice from his knife and puts in his mouth, moaning as he chews. Kyungsoo feels his lips quirk up in a fond smile, amused by the others excitement over something as ordinary as sausage. 

“Me too!” Chanyeol protests and Kyungsoo slices another slice for the older, holding it out and laughing as Chanyeol practically wolfs it down. He slices a slice for himself and slowly chews it, giggling as he hears Jongin excitedly talk about how amazing meat is. It isn’t even that great of a sausage. The meat is heavily smoked and a little dry from being in his box for so long and Kyungsoo is quite sure that the producer have mixed in quite a lot of rat meat in the minced goat mixture. Although he has to admit that after so long without meat it is indeed tasty. 

“Can I have another?” Jongin carefully asks after having finished his rant and while Kyungsoo knows he should probably save the sausage for the future he still slices them all another slice. 

“Try a mushroom too.” Kyungsoo says, pulling his own chopsticks from his metal box and handing out two mushrooms each to them all. One of them is long and thin with a crisp flavour and oily aftertaste while the other is thick and round with a smoky taste. The thin ones are best sprinkled on top of other food as seasoning and Kyungsoo suggests they try it with the sweet potatoes. He himself usually has it on top of his mashed potatoes or as flavouring for grilled rat. 

“And this one?” Chanyeol asks, biting off half of the thick cap of the other one before Kyungsoo can answer. 

“Usually by itself but it’s also good in stews.” He says, watching as Chanyeol’s eyes widen at the taste. The mushrooms are marinated in a mixture of ginger and horseradish combined with some charcoal before left to dry and while these have lost some of their flavour it still has a little bit of a kick. 

“Oh my god!” Chanyeol coughs, fanning his face as he tries to chew the mushroom. “Why is it burning?” He wails, sending Kyungsoo a look of despair. His nose is running and Kyungsoo thinks he can make out tears in the older’s eyes and promptly bursts out laughing at Chanyeol’s reaction. Jongin joins him a moment later, hitting his shoulder repeatedly as he laughs in loud hiccupping bursts. 

After stuffing his mouth with half of his sweet potato to get the taste out of his mouth Chanyeol turns to look at Kyungsoo with shocked eyes. “What the hell was that flavour?” He asks, coughing a little at the lingering burn. 

“Spiciness.” He answers, chuckling once more as Chanyeol makes a face at the sound. “They’re not _that_ bad.” He says, picking up the remainder of Chanyeol’s mushroom and eating it. He can feel both Chanyeol and Jongin’s eyes on him as he chews and calmly smiles. The mushroom does have a little bit of a kick but nothing like when they are fresh. 

“Woah!” Chanyeol says as Jongin tsks and says that it can’t possibly be as bad as Chanyeol makes it out to be. The younger still does nothing more than nibble at his mushroom before too coughing and groaning as the spice hits his tongue. Kyungsoo giggles as Jongin wordlessly points at the waterbottle, downing nearly half of it. 

“That’s horrible!” The younger says, putting back his half eaten mushroom in Kyungsoo’s metal box. Kyungsoo lets out an annoyed cry, mumbling under his breath about how the maknae should respect his elders without really meaning it. 

“What’s that.” Chanyeol asks, pointing at a paper folded away in the box. Kyungsoo quickly eats Jongin’s mushroom, this one even weaker in taste than Chanyeol’s, and pulls up the small paper. It’s his map over the metro and probably one of the most precious of Kyungsoo’s belongings. He silently unfolds it and places it on the ground in front of them. 

It’s old, something he picked up from a market a few years ago, but trustworthy and easier to read than his last one. When he bought it it had been completely blank but during the years Kyungsoo has made his own additions to the map in black ink. His homestations has a strong ring around it and his current goal, the Terminal, has a small notation about who he should talk to when entering from the different lines connected to it. There are small notations made between lines, marking out service tunnels connecting them together. Some of the stations are crossed over and harsh lines drawn over certain lines, noting the tunnels you shouldn’t travel between. Some of them just have notations about how to safely get through them, like the tunnel between Geumcheon-gu office, Doksan and Gasan Digital complex where you are safe as long as you walk more than 5 people through the tunnel. 

“This is the metro.” He says, gently stroking his thumb over the map. Despite how well the above has treated him he still misses it. It’s his home. “We’re here.” He says, pointing to the small island by the Han river where he had added a notation about the highrise just a few days prior. Junmyeon had been more than helpful in pointing out where he is, the two of them comparing their two maps together and through some puzzling agreeing on the location. “Here’s Nodeul, where you found me. I was on my way to-” He hesitates, finger almost going to the Terminal before deciding that it’s better if Jongin and Chanyeol never know. He doesn’t want them to go after him when he leaves after all. “To here. Gangnam.” He points at a station on the green ring line far enough from Yeouido that he knows he’s not going to be followed. 

“There are markets in Gangnam?” Jongin asks, leaning closer to look at the small notation beside the station pointing out which vendors has the best prices. 

“Loads.” Kyungsoo answers. “They have goats there so you can the best knitted sweaters there outside of Sinmokdong. The goats there are so well fed they produce milk so they also sell cheese which I’ve heard is really good but I’ve never tasted it.” 

“Really?” Jongin asks and Kyungsoo nods. This is actually true. It’s one of the biggest commercial centres outside of the Terminal and scouts regularly search the surface above Gangnam for new things hidden away among the many abandoned stores. Kyungsoo suspects there aren’t any highrises there or else they should probably have seen each other by now. Or maybe they just run past each other. The scouts only leave the metro during the night after all and from Chanyeol and Jongin’s tales he knows the highrises only leave during the day on scouting missions. 

“Do you have any other treasures hidden away in that bag of yours.” Chanyeol teases and Kyungsoo lets out a low chuckle, his mind returning to the sealed envelope hidden away. His throat suddenly feels dry and he deflects the question by talking more about Gangnam station and what you can find on the market. 

Jongin and Chanyeol keep asking question and Kyungsoo answers best he can but his mind always seem to wander back to the hidden envelope. His heart aches as he thinks about having to leave the highrise behind, leaving them to increasingly frequent attacks from the Conductors. He thinks about Junmyeon who had broken his leg in the attack and can’t be there to help defend them if one is to attack now soon. The highrise is just as defenseless as Sinmokdong is and who is he to say that his home station’s lives are more important than those who live here. But, Sinmokdong is his home. And if he opens the envelope he can’t bring it to the Terminal, he could be executed on the spot if he presents an opened envelope and no matter the solution inside it nothing will be done with spoiled information. You can’t trust the contents to not be tampered with if it is open. He can’t sacrifice Sinmokdong for the highrise, just like he can’t sacrifice the highrise for Sinmokdong. 

But...But surely Yeouido highrise will help him if he helped them? Sinmokdong isn’t too far away from the station, maybe twice as far as Nodeul from the look of his map. A favour for a favour. And they can surely repay them with a goat population of their own. Everyone will be safe. Chanyeol and Jongin will keep living and Kyungsoo can continue on his trek. He can come visit the highrise every once in awhile, knowing that he won’t return to a massacre like he fears every time he set foot back towards his home station. 

“Kyungsoo?” Jongin asks softly next to him and Kyungsoo blinks, realizing he’s stopped talking with his finger on Sinmokdong. He swallows, his throat suddenly feeling thick. He has to save them, has to save them all, even if it means never being able to currier in the metro again. He can always stay here if the metro doesn’t take him back after all.

“Sinmokdong is famous for it’s goat farms. There are more goats than people on the station.” He says, tapping the station with a fond smile. “The sausage you had is from there.” He continues, explaining about the goat farming and the food you can get there. He leaves out that it is his home, where his family had lived, just as he doesn’t mentions his decision to present the envelope to Junmyeon and Minseok at the next chance he gets. Chanyeol and Jongin can’t be pulled into this. It’s not their problem and Kyungsoo will make sure it never becomes their problem neither.


	8. Chapter 8 - Chanyeol

Once a month the highrise holds a council meeting where the future of the highrise is discussed and propositions on changes are worked out. Often times it’s just a check up on the production and safety of the highrise, making sure that everything is on track and that whatever isn’t is fixed before it becomes a problem. Any member of the highrise is welcomed to join in but usually it’s just the council members and merchants sitting in on the meeting. 

Jongin used to sit in on the council meetings at his old highrise and have continued to do so since coming to Yeouido, which means that Chanyeol has to attend them by extension. It is usually just an hour of listening the council members agree that things are going good or less good, conflicts rarely arise in such a small close knit community, and then a cup of tea to finish it all off. 

This morning Jongin had woken him up at sunrise, which is surprising for two reasons. One, Jongin is never awake before sunrise unless he absolutely has to, and even then Chanyeol is always awake before him. And two, Jongin had been awake before Chanyeol. It had turned out that the council had called an emergency meeting in the wake of the Passenger attack and apparently Kyungsoo is to attend. 

Now they’re standing outside the meeting room, he and Jongin, a few of the merchants and a small group of other highrise residents. And Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo is standing at the other end of the corridor and Chanyeol had briefly tried to ask him why he is there but all the smaller had said is that he will find out at the meeting. 

He can’t help the aching spark of doubt blooming in his chest, watching Kyungsoo wearily as the smaller completely ignores them. Jongin seem to be thinking the same judging from the way he keeps kneading Chanyeol’s hand and fingers, silently seeking comfort. Why is Kyungsoo suddenly so distant? They had been laughing and chatting only two days ago and Chanyeol really had thought that they are friends by now, friends who trusts each other. 

He keeps telling himself that Kyungsoo has a good reason for being as distant as he is but the whole situation with the Passenger attack and Kyungsoo’s sudden withdrawal has him quietly expecting something awful. What he is expecting he doesn’t know. Maybe the other is leaving the highrise unexpectedly? Chanyeol knows he won’t be able to not feel hurt if that is the case. 

The door to the meeting room opens and Minseok waves them all in. The group shuffles inside, seeing the rest of the council already by their seats. It’s a small council, the group only consisting of nine people. There is Junmyeon who handles defense, Minseok in charge of scouting, Lay the head doctor, Sulgi handling repairs and communications who is also Chanyeol’s boss, Minhee who is representing the market, Lee overseeing the farming up top and her wife Dahee who handles production and storage, Nana who’s the highrise elder and a highrise resident chosen from a group of volunteers to represent the residents. 

The usual cheery mood of a council meeting is missing, exchanged for a tense air of uncertainty and Chanyeol quietly pulls Jongin along to sit down next to Kyungsoo. He can see that the smaller is nervous from the way he pulls at the peeling skin on his hands but when Chanyeol tries to make smalltalk Kyungsoo only replies in short single word answers. Chanyeol gives up on talking once more. 

“Thank you all for coming with such short notice.” Junmyeon says, smiling tensely at the small crowd in their meeting room. “We appreciate the interest you show in the future of our highrise.” There is a quiet murmur of replies and Chanyeol sends Nana a small wave. She doesn’t wave back. The uneasy feeling he has had since waking up intensifies with each passing second. 

“We have gathered here today in the wake of the Passenger attack a few days ago. We are still mourning the loss of miss Kim Eunhee, may the gods rest her soul.” Junmyeon bows quietly and the rest of the room follows, Chanyeol feels Jongin’s grip tighten on his hand and squeezes back, knowing how affected the other is by the passing of their neighbour. “I’m sure you have noticed, as well as we have, that the attacks of the Passengers are getting more frequent and if things continue in this direction we will soon be...in trouble” Junmyeon finishes, the last words coming out with a forced smile and Chanyeol knows that ‘in trouble’ is a beyond light description if what their situation will become. 

“Because of this we need to work out a strategy for handling this threat. Thankfully Do Kyungsoo, our most recent resident,” Junmyeon gestures to Kyungsoo who stands up and bows with a quiet greeting. “Have come forth with a possible solution.” 

Chanyeol whips his head around to stare at Kyungsoo, almost blurting out a question before stopping himself. Kyungsoo doesn’t meet his eye and Chanyeol feels the first stings of hurt in his chest. Did Kyungsoo really have the solution? Then why had he let their residents put themselves in danger every night since he came? He had even put Jongin in danger. What if Jongin had been the one eaten because Kyungsoo had kept quiet about the solution. Chanyeol doesn’t know if he could have found it in himself to forgive the other if that had been the case. 

Junmyeon gestures for Kyungsoo to come up to stand next to him at the head of the long table the council sits around and Kyungsoo quickly moves forward. Chanyeol sits up a little straighter to see better and feels Jongin do the same next to him. 

“Hello, My name is Do Kyungsoo.” Kyungsoo says, bowing once more. His voice is deeper than normal and surprisingly calm, lacking all traces of playfulness that Chanyeol has gotten so used to during the past week. He looks over at Junmyeon who nods at him to continue and Kyungsoo pulls off his backpack, placing it on the table in front of them. 

“I’m from the Metro.” Kyungsoo begins. “And we have also had problems with increased Conduc- Passenger attacks at some of the stations in the metro.” He pauses, hands tightening on the fabric of his backpack and his eyes meet Chanyeol’s for a moment before looking away. “The management of the attacked stations together with the Terminal, the uh- the Terminal being the biggest station in the metro, they came to a decision to fight the Passengers and remove the threat.” His confident start to his speech have slowly dwindled and Kyungsoo looks almost nervous, eyes flickering towards where Jongin and Chanyeol are sitting. Chanyeol raises his hand and gives the other a thumbs up, hoping it will boost him. 

“They assigned a currier, me, to carry the information to the Terminal and I was on my way there when I got attacked by the centipedes and ended up here.” Kyungsoo reveals and Chanyeol feels as if someone has punched him in the guts. Kyungsoo lied to him? Kyungsoo has been lying to them this whole time? “The information is highly classified due to the nature of it. If it ends up in the wrong hands the future of the metro could be jeopardized. Despite this I have decided to share the information with you in exchange for your aid in helping the attacked stations.” Kyungsoo finishes, his previous nervousness is gone and Chanyeol can just about imagine why. Revealing that everything you told about yourself to your friends is a lie will make anyone nervous. 

“He lied to us.” Chanyeol whispers and Jongin quickly grabs his arm, making Chanyeol look over. Jongin is minutely shaking his head, hurt apparent in his eyes too. He knows what Jongin is saying, now is not the time, but his chest is aching and the person he thought Kyungsoo is has suddenly transformed into a complete stranger. What else of what Kyungsoo had told them are lies? Everything? Jongin had been right to be wary of the other, to expect that everything hadn’t been as it appeared to be. The fact that Chanyeol had so readily given his trust to someone like Kyungsoo, someone from the metro, and made Jongin do the same hurts almost as much as Kyungsoo’s lies. Chanyeol’s constant pushing for Jongin to give Kyungsoo a chance is the reason why Jongin is hurting too. It’s all Chanyeol’s fault. 

“Thank you, Kyungsoo.” Junmyeon says, smiling softly. “I am ready to accept the conditions of your deal, how do the rest of the council feel?” He turns towards the rest of the members who all nod after a moment of consideration. “We will aid the attacked stations in any way we can. This isn’t just a threat for us after all, it’s a threat for humanity.” Junmyeon says and Kyungsoo nods sternly. 

Kyungsoo starts fiddling with his backpack, opening a hidden compartment at the back of it that Chanyeol hadn’t found despite being the one assigned to search through the backpack when Kyungsoo had first been brought into the highrise. He can’t help but wonder what other secrets Kyungsoo hides in his backpack. 

From the pocket Kyungsoo pulls a small plastic pack and hands it over to Junmyeon who accepts it with a small thanks. Minseok next to him leans over to watch as the head of defence starts opening the plastic pack and pulling out a white envelope. On the envelope is a black wax seal with a T stamped to it and Junmyeon quickly cracks it open before pulling out a letter and beginning to read it, his face a mask of concentration. 

The whole meeting room is silent, watching as Junmyeon’s eyes quickly scan the letter before frowning. He hands the letter off to Minseok who reads it through, eyes flickering towards Junmyeon when he has finished. Kyungsoo’s eyes are trained on his backpack, missing the confused looks the scouting and defence leaders are sending him. 

“Kyungsoo. What is a Sinmokdong?” Junmyeon asks and Kyungsoo’s head snaps up. 

“A what?” Kyungsoo asks, eyes widening. “Sinmokdong?” Junmyeon nods and Kyungsoo licks his lips, suddenly looking uncertain. “I-it is one of the stations in the metro. The majority of the reported attacks are coming from there.” He explains. 

“Have you read this?” Minseok asks and Kyungsoo shakes his head. Junmyeon and Minseok start whispering to each other and Chanyeol can see Kyungsoo shifting where he stands, sending worried looks towards the two. 

The silence drags out, everyone’s eyes trained on Junmyeon and Minseok as they silently discuss the contents of the letter. 

“What does it say?” Kyungsoo says after another few minutes, his voice barely a whisper. 

“Well...” Minseok starts. “It says here that the Terminal has came to the decision that due to Sinmokdong being the only station affected the Conductors, which I assume are the word you use for the Passengers, the creatures originate from there and the station will be destroyed in order to protect the rest of the metro.” He says and silence lowers itself over the meeting room again. 

Chanyeol can feel himself begin to grow angry. Not only had Kyungsoo lied to them from the very beginning but now his so called solution is completely useless. How will destroying a station help them at all? It will probably only result in the Passengers being herded towards them here on the surface. 

“When?” Kyungsoo asks, sounding breathless. 

“Effective immediately.” Junmyeon answers. “The tunnels leading to the station will be blown up. No evacuation in order to lessen the strain on the rest of the metro from the lost of a production station.” 

Kyungsoo’s hands twist in his backpack and Chanyeol feels his stomach twist painfully. A whole station murdered for the greater good of the metro. And Kyungsoo is the one carrying such information. He might as well be holding the trigger to the explosives. 

“I’m sure you understand, Kyungsoo, that since this isn’t really the information we expected we can’t really help the metro with its Passenger attacks. However, I’m sure we can forward this information to Seoul City hall and they can investigate to see if Sinmokdong is really the origin of the Passengers, right Sulgi?” Minseok says and Sulgi nods, confirming his suggestion. “If it indeed is true, I’m sure Yeouido could help with some refugees.” The council members around the table nod. Kyungsoo silently thanks them, still holding onto his backpack with cramping hands. 

“Can I leave?” Kyungsoo asks, looking over at Nana with pleading eyes. The elder nods, giving him a soft smile. Kyungsoo hurriedly pulls on his backpack and hurries around the table. Chanyeol eye’s follow him as he walks towards them. The younger is probably disappointed that his suggestion hadn’t gotten the support he had wanted. How could anyone do something like that against their own?

“It’s like they say: Nothing good ever came from the metro.” Jongin whispers as Kyungsoo passes and while Chanyeol can’t help but think that maybe Jongin is a little harsh he still agrees to the sentiment.


	9. Chapter 9 - Jongin

The sun is beaming down on them, unusually harsh for the early morning hour. Summer is drawing nearer and with it the blessed but short rain season. But before that the weather will only grow hotter. Jongin can feel the harsh rays lick his skin through his turtleneck and the air his tough to breathe even trough his face mask. 

Kyungsoo is never going to survive on his own out here. 

He looks over at Chanyeol, watching the taller worriedly search the landscape around them. There are nothing more than abandoned buildings and emptied car chassis around them, the area as dead and desolate as it always is. Jongin carefully observes the ground they walk on, looking for any signs of tracks, or more importantly, struggle. So far he thankfully hasn’t found neither. He doesn’t know how he would break the news to Chanyeol if he does. 

Chanyeol had shaken him awake that morning, telling him with a panicked voice that Kyungsoo is missing. Apparently he had been nowhere to be found and after asking around a little Chanyeol had found out from the guards that Kyungsoo had left and hour earlier, wandering off in the direction of Nodeul station where they had found him.

“We have to go after him.” Chanyeol had told him and Jongin had promptly shook his head no. Kyungsoo had left on his own, he had gotten himself in this situation by lying and deceiving the whole highrise and now Kyungsoo had to get out of it on his own. They owe him nothing and the smaller probably had some other top secret currier work about destroying stations or massacring people that he had to deliver. And besides, yesterday Chanyeol hadn’t been able to stop rambling on and on about how much Kyungsoo had hurt them and the highrise. Why should something like this suddenly change his mind?

Chanyeol had been persistent though, arguing that yes Kyungsoo had lied to them but he hadn’t actually known what had been in the letter and it isn’t his fault the managements of the metro sees it fit to condemn a whole station for the greater good. He had begged Jongin to please help him because Kyungsoo is still hurt and he doesn’t know how to survive on the outside and isn’t the highrise all about helping their own?

Jongin had chosen not to point out that Kyungsoo isn’t one of their own, he had lost that privilege with his lies, and had instead relented. He had been able to see that Chanyeol would go after Kyungsoo no matter what Jongin decides and knowing Chanyeol the older won’t be able to think clear enough to bring everything he needs when he sets out. If either of them are to return, Jongin had to join Chanyeol in his search. 

So they had prepared, Chanyeol asking around for any sort of information, only finding out that Junmyeon had told Kyungsoo that Seoul City hall had replied to their message that they would investigate the Sinmokdong station, and Jongin packing both of their bags. He had even risked stealing a few medical supplies from Lay and a few food rations from the storage. Who knows how long they will be out there before Chanyeol gives up. 

An hour after he had been woken up Jongin had left the highrise behind, walking with a heavy backpack towards Nodeul park and station. Next to him Chanyeol had been uncharacteristically quiet, barely answering the few questions Jongin had been able to come up with. He had remained that way during the half hour it had taken them to go to Nodeul park. 

“Do you think he’s okay?” Chanyeol asks quietly, eyes searching the destroyed station in front of them. They planted new mines here a few days ago and Minseok had reported back that the centipedes are now gone from the metro’s entrance. They had rolled one of the large boulders down the stairs, blocking off the entrance to the metro and making sure nothing else leaves the dark underground. Good, now they know Kyungsoo hasn’t disappeared down there. 

“As long as he doesn’t run into any mutants.” Jongin replies, peeking over at the metro station entrance to make sure that it truly is blocked off. It is. 

“What if he-” Chanyeol starts but Jongin interrupts him. 

“Yebo. He won’t. He’s probably the one with the most experience of mutants among all of us.” Jongin says, looking over at his boyfriend and giving him a small smile. Chanyeol returns it hesitantly. 

Jongin turns his eyes back towards the street in front of them, searching the ground for any signs of the other. The thick sand covering the ground is undisturbed, the soft wave pattern created by the wind unbroken. He searches for any break in the pattern, anything that can indicate someone has been here. 

Chanyeol walks past him, eyes trained towards the buildings, and Jongin carefully follows, still watching the ground. He can hear Chanyeol sigh in worry, his hands nervously pulling at his backpack straps. Once they find Kyungsoo Jongin’s going to punch him square in the face for making Chanyeol worry this much. 

His eyes catch something and his hand quickly grabs Chanyeol, stopping him from stepping down on the track in the ground. It’s a footprint, a little smaller than Jongin’s boots, and a few inches beside it is another. The prints are uneven, as if whoever left them is limping. 

“That’s Kyungsoo’s right?” Jongin says even though he knows it is. Chanyeol looks down, observing the footprints before hesitantly nodding. 

“I dunno, they seem a little large for him.” The taller says but Jongin ignores him, setting of after the footprints. Now that he’s spotted them they are easy to see and once he looks back he can see where they go up to the metro entrance and then away again, off towards Dongjak bridge. The bridge leads to the Seoul City hall, or so Junmyeon had told them, and Nana had once mentioned that there used to be a metro stop there connecting two of the lines. For now it’s their best bet on where Kyungsoo is heading to. 

“Come on.” Jongin calls behind him, eyes flicking towards the ground every few steps to make sure he is still following Kyungsoo’s tracks. Chanyeol jogs up to him, once again uncharacteristically quiet. It’s beginning to get on Jongin’s nerves. The taller is always blabbering on about one thing or another and now that he’s not all Jongin can think of is what must be going on inside Chanyeol’s head. 

He is probably thinking about the same thing as Jongin is, wondering why Kyungsoo had suddenly left, why he had been lying this whole time, if they can trust that anything they knew about the other is true. He swallows, focusing on the track. He will simply have to confront Kyungsoo when he finds him and after he has given him a blood nose for all the trouble he put them through. 

“Do you think he was lying about everything?” Chanyeol asks him once they have been silently tracking for ten minutes. Jongin licks his lips, glad that his face mask hides his nervous tic, and shrugs. 

“I hope not.” He says and finds that it is actually the truth. He hopes that some of the things he knows about Kyungsoo is actually true. He had been starting to grow used to the thought of having him around after all. 

“What if he’s not really from the metro?” Chanyeol asks. “What if he lied about that too?” 

“Well...then he’s got a whole lot of explaining to do once we find him.” Jongin bites out, eyes glued to the ground. He doesn’t want to think about what Chanyeol’s worries being true would mean. If Kyungsoo had lied about everything, had tricked the whole highrise, then why had he been there in the first place? And more importantly what had he left behind for them to find? 

Chanyeol makes a small noise of agreement, sighing once more and looking over at towards Dongjak bridge. Its multiple blue arches glints in the morning sun and Jongin speeds up his walk, knowing that soon the sun will be too strong for them to be outside. No matter how tan your skin is or how prepared you are the midday sun will conquer, leaving you behind burned and dehydrated, if you survive at all. 

They have to find Kyungsoo before then. 

The silence stretches on between them, the tracks in front of them showing no sign of stopping or slowing down. Jongin knows they’re faster than Kyungsoo and that it’s only a matter of time before they catch up to him. The problem is that time is the last thing they have right now. 

“There!” Chanyeol suddenly gasps, grabbing Jongin’s arm roughly and pointing at something in front of them. Jongin squints, trying to make out what it is that the other has spotted through the heatwaves rising from the ground. Slowly a figure comes into view and Jongin can see it move forwards with stumbling steps. It can be Kyungsoo, or it can be something else. 

“Quiet.” Jongin warns, breaking out into a silent jog. Chanyeol follows behind him, his eyes wide with excitement. The figure grows closer, wearing a white turtleneck, a brown leather backpack, beige pants and black boots. It looks like the scouting gear from their highrise but whoever it is they are seeing could very likely be a scout from another highrise. At least it’s not a mutant. 

“Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol bellows once they’re 20 meter apart and the figure jerks around to look at them. On the corner of his round, black sunglasses is a golden detail glinting in the sunlight. Chanyeol waves, speeding up his steps. 

But instead of going to greet them Kyungsoo turns back around, limping forwards with an increased speed. Chanyeol stops, his outreached hand falling to his side limply. Jongin pushes past the taller, running forwards towards their goal. 

“Hey! Stop!” He shouts but Kyungsoo makes no move to do so, only speeding up further. It must be painful on his leg and for some reason that only makes Jongin angrier. “I said stop you-!” He reaches Kyungsoo and grabs his arm, forcing him to stop. 

Kyungsoo roughly tears his arm from his grasp, not even turning around to look at him. Jongin lets out a sound of disbelief, grabbing the smaller again before he has a chance to walk away and forcing him to turn around. 

“What the fuck is this Kyungsoo?” He asks, gesturing towards everything around them. Chanyeol catches up to them, worriedly asking if Kyungsoo’s alright. “Why did you leave?”

“Shouldn’t I have?” Kyungsoo asks, his voice cold and harsh. Jongin frowns, quickly looking over at Chanyeol who seem just as shocked about Kyungsoo’s behaviour as he is. The smaller may have been a little distant and reluctant to let people close before but never have Jongin heard him be this outright rude. 

“You, you’re hurt. We were worried.” Chanyeol says, gesturing weakly towards Kyungsoo’s hurt leg. The other looks down as if he is noticing his leg for the first time. 

“Well, I’m fine.” He replies. “Now leave. I don’t need you around.” Kyungsoo turns away and Jongin lets him, his grip gone loose from the shock. He hears Chanyeol make a sound of protest next to him but Kyungsoo is already walking away, clearly limping. 

“Kyungsoo?” Chanyeol calls quietly after the leaving figure and he sounds smaller than Jongin has heard him in a long time. Like when he had found out Sehun weren’t coming back. Jongin feels something snap inside of him and launches forwards, grabbing the pigskin backpack and roughly yanking Kyungsoo backwards. 

The other lets out a shocked sound but quickly gets his bearing as pushes at Jongin, forcing him away. Jongin slaps the shorter’s arms out of the way, reeling back to deliver the punch he’s been thinking about for so long. It hits Kyungsoo hard on the cheekbone, making the other blink in surprise for a short moment before letting out a roar and launching towards Jongin. 

“Hey! Guys! Woah, hey hey hey hey!”

Jongin can hear Chanyeol’s panicked voice but heeds it no mind. He’s grabbing Kyungsoo by the fabric of the other’s shirt, trying to get another punch in while still trying to block Kyungsoo’s hand reaching out towards his face. 

“Let me go you fucker!” Kyungsoo spits, pulling backwards roughly. Jongin answers by pushing, making the other stumble for a moment before he twists around and sends Jongin stumbling forwards, Kyungsoo’s shirt slipping out from between his fingers. He quickly turns back around, catching Kyungsoo by the backpack once more as the other tries to get away. 

“You lied to us!” Jongin shouts, pulling back to punch again but Kyungsoo quickly slams an elbow in his face, making his head ring. Jongin swings wildly, keeping distance between the two, before diving in with a growl and grabbing the other again. “You owe us a fucking explanation!” He demands, crying out in pain as Kyungsoo manages to grab a handful of his hair. They’re close now, so close Jongin can hear the other pant roughly behind his facemask. 

“I owe you and your fucking highrise shit!” Kyungsoo spits back, letting go of Jongin’s hair to try and claw at his face again. Jongin has had enough. With a growl he pushes Kyungsoo away from him, still keeping his hold on the smaller’s shirt. The next second he stomps down hard on Kyungsoo’s injured foot, his heel dragging down his shin before hitting it’s mark with a quiet thud. 

Kyungsoo screams, falling backwards and curling up around his injured leg. Jongin moves forwards, fist raised for another punch, when Chanyeol suddenly appears before him, grabbing his wrists and pushing him away from the figure twisting in pain on the ground. 

“We trusted you!” Jongin screams, his voice cracking. “We fucking _trusted_ you and you betrayed us!” 

“It’s my home station!” Kyungsoo screams back, making Jongin stop for a moment. “Sinmokdong is my fucking home station!” He grabs a rock on the ground and hurls it towards Jongin. It hits Chanyeol in the shoulder and Jongin tries to move forwards again only to once more be held back by the taller. 

“They’re going to blow it up!” Kyungsoo continues, grabbing another rock but his strength leaves him before he can throw it. It lands with a soft thud a feet away from him. “I have to save them.” He finishes, his voice weak. “They don’t know. I- I have to save them.” He repeats, looking up at Jongin with wide eyes. Slowly Jongin lowers his arms and Chanyeol’s grip hesitantly loosens, as if he doesn’t trust that Jongin won’t attack again. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Chanyeol asks, eyes flickering between Jongin and Kyungsoo. 

“Why should I?” Kyungsoo asks with a humorless laugh. “You don’t care about the people in the metro.” 

“Of course we-” Jongin starts, wanting to defend himself, but Kyungsoo interrupts him before he can finish. 

“It’s like they say: nothing good ever came from the metro.” Kyungsoo spits out as if the words are poison. Jongin looks away, feeling shame climb inside of him. “Wasn’t that what you said?” Kyungsoo asks. 

“We didn’t mean-”

“You didn’t mean _me_?” Kyungsoo laughs again, finding the strength to throw another rock at them. Jongin feels as if he deserves this one. “You just meant everyone else in the metro? All of those other monsters waiting to be blown up because you’re above helping them?”

“It’s not like that.” Chanyeol defends weakly, not meeting Kyungsoo’s eye. 

“Then what is it like?” Kyungsoo demands. Jongin swallows, looking down at the ground. In his throat a heavy lump sits, making it hard to swallow. Kyungsoo repeats his question again, louder this time, and Chanyeol flinches as if he’s been hit. 

“It’s a misunderstanding.” Jongin says, looking up at Kyungsoo. The other’s eyes are like fire, burning a hole in his chest. “And it’s our fault.” He sends Chanyeol a quick look and the taller nods quickly. “We-we didn’t know Sinmokdong meant that much to you. And while you did lie to us we shouldn’t have said what we did.” Jongin says, licking his lips. “But you shouldn’t have lied to us! You could have told us and we could have helped. Leaving on your own is stupid, especially when you’re injured.” 

Kyungsoo looks away, stubbornly staring at the ground. Jongin pulls his wrists from Chanyeol’s hold, meeting the other’s worried eyes with a silent request for help. Chanyeol had always been better with words than he was. Chanyeol seems to understand because he joins Jongin as they crouch down next to Kyungsoo. 

“Hey, where were you even thinking about going?” Chanyeol asks and Kyungsoo continues to stare stubbornly at the ground. Chanyeol tries to reach out to make Kyungsoo let go of his injured leg but the other pulls away. 

“Seoul City hall.” He whispers in reply. “Junmyeon told me they were going to investigate the Conductors.” 

“Do you even know the way?” Chanyeol asks and Kyungsoo turns his glare towards the taller, making him immediately backtrack. “Of course, stupid question. I’m not going to ask about why you set out with an injured leg either because I’m sure you have a good explanation for that too.” He rambles and Jongin can pick up the tiniest hint of sarcasm in his voice. 

“If you’re not going to help me just leave.” Kyungsoo says matter of factly, stopping Chanyeol before he can say anything else. Jongin immediately shakes his head, still feeling guilty for what he had said about the metro earlier. He also feels a strange kind of sympathy with Kyungsoo. He knows what it’s like to lose your home and knows that if he had had the chance to save it he would have taken it, even if it means walking for days on an injured leg. 

“We can’t leave you.” Chanyeol says, looking around them. 

“So you’re helping.” Kyungsoo says, eyes glued to Chanyeol and Jongin can see the determination behind the dark orbs. No matter what he and Chanyeol decide Kyungsoo is going to continue towards Seoul City hall. 

“First, we have to get out of the sun.” Chanyeol says, avoiding answering. He turns around and spots something and Jongin follows his eyes. There is an empty shop about 100 meter away, clearly raided of its content. A raided location means a safe location. There they can escape from the sun during its worst hours. 

“Help me.” He tells Jongin as he pulls of his backpack. Together they manage to get Kyungsoo on his back without too much trouble and they set off towards the shop. Jongin quickly surveys the inside of the shop, making sure it’s as empty as it appears, and Chanyeol and Kyungsoo follow. 

They set Kyungsoo down by the backmost wall of the shop where there is more space than between the empty shelves in the aisles. It takes some fiddling but Jongin manages to get the metal shutters pulled down, blocking out the sun and the heat. It is almost noon and the sun is already strong enough for Jongin to worry about burning the few exposed parts of skin he has. He is almost positive Kyungsoo has already burnt something again. It truly is a miracle they found him alive all those weeks ago. The midday sun has no mercy on anyone, even the mutants shies away during these hours, hiding away in empty buildings and underneath bridges. 

He’s shaken out of his musings when he hears a pained groan and turns back towards where he left Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. Chanyeol is carefully rolling up Kyungsoo’s pant leg, the fabric stained red with blood and sticking to the sluggishly bleeding sores on his leg. Jongin feels a new wave of guilt wash over him as watches. It had been his kick that had caused that damage, tearing the already damaged skin and causing even more injury. He contemplates making up some lie about watching the storefront when Kyungsoo’s hand wraps around his ankle, squeezing hard as the smaller groans in pain once more. 

Jongin is sitting down next to him before he can really register what he’s doing, holding Kyungsoo’s hand as Chanyeol gently takes off his shoe, revealing a bloodied sock. He let’s Kyungsoo wrap around him as Chanyeol quietly works on fixing what Jongin made wrong. Jongin tries to think of something to say to make it better but there is a lump blocking his throat and no matter how hard he tries nothing seems to be the right thing to say. Chanyeol is the one of them who knows how to talk, have always been better at fixing things than Jongin. Whether it be machines, plants or humans Chanyeol knows how to make things right. All Jongin knows is how to protect things from going wrong in the first place and he’s hardly any good at that. 

So that is what he decides to try and do. Right now that means allowing Kyungsoo to curl around his waist and muffle his groans against his shirt. It means that once this is over he is going to make sure Kyungsoo gets to Seoul City hall safely and it means figuring out a way to make Chanyeol join them there and make him forgive Kyungsoo before the cracks in their trust can no longer be mended. 

Once Chanyeol has wrapped Kyungsoo’s calf and foot in clean gauze the smaller is already dozing off in exhaustion in his lap and Jongin rests his back against the end of a shelf, smiling towards Chanyeol in thanks. The taller smiles back but Jongin can see the tenseness behind the smile. 

“You can say it.” Chanyeol says tiredly, sitting down next to Jongin. “You were right about him and I was wrong.” 

Jongin doesn’t reply, instead softly taking Chanyeol’s hand in his and squeezing it. He knows what Chanyeol is referring to, that they shouldn’t have trusted Kyungsoo, but he finds that he doesn’t agree. They should have trusted Kyungsoo more,should have known that he had his reasons for doing what he did. But Chanyeol has always worn his heart on his sleeve and someone has to make sure it doesn’t get too bruised. That means Jongin has to keep enough walls for the two of them.

“We have to help him.” He says instead, turning to Chanyeol. The taller is shaking his head before Jongin can finish talking. 

“We have to go back home.” Chanyeol says, looking at Jongin with stern eyes. 

“Please. It’s his home.” Jongin says, looking down at a sleeping Kyungsoo. “It’s his Yongwang.” He adds, looking back up towards Chanyeol. He can see the resolve cracking within the other already. “We have to help him save it.” 

“What happened to looking out for our own.” Chanyeol argues weakly. “We can’t afford to mix with other people’s business.” 

“Don’t even try to say he doesn’t belong with us now.” Jongin says and Chanyeol lets out a small laugh, shaking his head. He looks away from Jongin, eyes glued to the ceiling and Jongin knows that look. Chanyeol always puts the wants of the people he needs in front of his own. It’s a trait Jongin both loves and hates. 

“You’re carrying him.” Chanyeol says and Jongin doesn’t try to hide the grin that spreads on his face. “Now sleep. I’ll wake you up once midday is over.” 

Jongin snuggles up into Chanyeol’s side, his head resting on the other’s shoulder and soon Chanyeol’s head lands on top of his. He listens as the other’s breathing evens out, synching up with Kyungsoo’s and soon Jongin is following them into the land of dreams.


	10. Chapter 10 - Kyungsoo

Just like Kyungsoo had suspected Chanyeol had been reluctant to let him continue on towards Seoul City hall. He had argued about how they should wait until Kyungsoo’s leg is better and that the trek is too dangerous to make on their own. It is better to return to Yeouido and wait for the reports of what the City hall finds out about the Conductors to reach them and then set out. 

However, completely against his expectations, Jongin had argued in his case, saying they might as well wait in the City hall and that any time passing meant a smaller chance for Sinmokdong station’s survival. Chanyeol had given up almost instantly, as if the argument had already been settled beforehand and after a brief planning of their route they had set of. 

Jongin carries him, his injured leg not able to support him, and their pace is slow. They are moving towards Dongjak bridge and once they’ve crossed it there is a Seven eleven the merchants taking the same route rest in. They’re going to spend the night there and then head further towards a highrise Jongin calls the Baguette. Kyungsoo might have suggested making the walk through the metro if he had been able to walk but even that were the case he isn’t too sure. It feels much safer here up top. As long as they stay inside during the night neither Jongin nor Chanyeol seem too concerned with their trip. In the metro the walk could be made in just two days if they don’t make any unnecessary stops but despite it being so much faster Kyungsoo knows they would have to pass through at least one dangerous tunnel and getting through Seoul station without a passport is practically impossible. Routing around it would be almost as slow as their current walk. No, it’s better to stay up top. 

He sighs, lifting his head from where he has been resting it against Jongin’s shoulder and looks around. They’re almost by the bridge and Kyungsoo can see the rows of blue arches he had been aiming towards before Jongin and Chanyeol had found him. Around them the buildings are nothing more than piles of rubble and concrete, surely annihilated by the dust cloud. To his left the Han river glints in the sunlight. The water is black and slushes against the riverbank every so often, the waves slowly sinking back into the river after impact. It is almost as if the river is reaching up, trying to climb out of its cradle. 

He tears his eyes away from the body of water, instead looking over at Chanyeol walking a few feet to their right. He is quiet and Kyungsoo realizes this is probably the longest he has ever gone without hearing Chanyeol talk. 

“Hyung?” Kyungsoo softly calls, testing the waters. Chanyeol turns around but doesn’t smile. Kyungsoo asks how the other is doing and only gets a thumbs up in reply. He looks away, feeling his insides twist. He doesn’t know how he’s going to explain to the other that he had to lie. He hadn’t done it to hurt anyone. At first it had been to keep himself safe, then it had been to keep Jongin and Chanyeol safe. He hadn’t expected to see them at the council meeting. He had planned on explaining after when he had provided the highrise with a solution to their Passenger problem but instead all he had done was expose his lies and create false hope. 

“Just give him some time.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo looks over at the other. He can only see a small part of Jongin face from this angle but he thinks he can almost make out a grin. “He’s pissed you lied. We both are. But...” Jongin trails off and Kyungsoo mumbles out a short apology when the other doesn’t continue. 

“I didn’t mean to lie.” He says, wishing he could pull away from Jongin and retreat into himself like he usually does whenever people talk about things he doesn’t want to talk about. 

“I understand you not trusting me.” Jongin says, stopping and scooting Kyungsoo further up his back with a little jump. “But not trusting Chanyeol. He would have followed you to China if you had asked him two days ago.” Jongin says and there is a bitterness in his voice but not as much as Kyungsoo expects. 

“I was carrying classified information. I couldn’t just tell anyone.” Kyungsoo defends. 

“Yeah but you could have told him who you really were. That you were a currier and that Sinmokdong was your home station.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo stubbornly doesn’t meet his eye when the younger turns to look at him. “You even talked about the station when we had lunch on the roof. What difference would it have made if we knew where you were from?” 

_It would mean that you might search for me when I left_. Kyungsoo wants to answer but to reveal that he had also been planning on abandoning them without a word doesn’t seem like the smart thing to do right now. Sinmokdong is close to Yeouido, almost as close as Dongjak. He couldn’t have given them a reason to go and search for him. He doesn’t know what he would do if the pair gets hurt be cause of him. Except now Chanyeol will barely look at him and it’s all his fault. 

“I couldn’t tell you I was a currier because Chanyeol would have stopped bothering me about what I was carrying.” Kyungsoo says, ignoring the actual question. 

“If you say so.” Jongin sighs and turns his eyes back towards the bridge. They’re almost there and Kyungsoo remember someone once telling him that the trains used to run between the blue arches long ago before the city had rebuilt the route for the new high speed trains. Now the metro runs under the river and the tunnels leading up to the bridge are long since blocked off. Because of the river there is a constant stream of water running through the tunnel, starting just past Dongjak station and stopping before the light of Ichon station can reach you. The water is poisonous and stepping in it means bad luck. There is an abandoned train in the southbound tunnel and if a lonesome traveler happen to pass through it he rarely reaches Dongjak station. There are rumors floating around that there is a Conductor in the tunnel, guarding the train, but no attacks have been reported in either Ichon nor Dongjak.

Now that he looks at the water flowing down the river, the thick black liquid moving almost on its own accord, he suspects that whatever hides in that tunnel is even worse than the Conductors. The same quiet humming he can hear from the darkness in the tunnels is reaching out to him from the depth.

The song of the tunnels, that is what the people of the metro calls it. Few can hear it. It takes years of walking station to station before you can hear it clearly. Some people never learn to hear it, others have a natural affinity towards it. Kyungsoo has heard it since he was eight years old. It’s a useful skill to have. If you know how to listen the tunnels can tell you when they are safe to travel and when they are better left alone. Right now the quiet humming coming from the Han river is telling him it is safe, for now. If they pass quickly and quietly whatever hides in the blackness won’t pay them any mind.

“You know, it’s not really the lying that bothers him.” Jongin says, breaking Kyungsoo out of his thoughts. “He had basically forgiven you when we set out to find you. He was worried out of his mind and when we found you-” Jongin draws a sharp breath. “We risked our lives coming out here to look for you. We stole, from Lay, from Minseok and from Lee, for you. And you told us to fuck off when we found you.” 

Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything, instead looking down at the ground and feeling his insides twist with even more guilt. He had just been trying to get them to go back to safety as soon as possible. He hadn’t wanted them to follow him. He hadn’t wanted them to be hurt because of him. That’s all he had wanted. 

“Chanyeol cares for you Kyungsoo. Much, much more than you deserve. He never said a bad word about you. Even after you threw our trust to shit.” Jongin spits and Kyungsoo can hear him grown angry again. He opens his mouth to try and apologize, but Jongin cuts him off. 

“It isn’t me you should apologize to. I treated you like shit too, I deserve what I got.” He says. Kyungsoo licks his lips, curling up in the crook of Jongin’s neck once more. He nods once, knowing that Jongin will feel it. The hands holding him squeeze his thighs in reply a second later. 

They remain silent during the rest of the walk to the bridge. Kyungsoo spends the time thinking about how to apologize to Chanyeol. He knows Jongin won’t let it go so it’s better to just get it over with. But he has no idea how to. He rarely has to apologize. When you only look after yourself there is no one you can hurt, no one who relies on you. This is exactly why he doesn’t want to drag more people into the mess. But, he can’t deny that he too feels the heavy weight of guilt in his guts. Jongin might be the one pestering him to apologize but Kyungsoo too knows he’s hurt Chanyeol, Jongin too.

“Hey, Yeol!” Jongin calls once they’re just a few meters from the bridge. The oldest turns around and looks at them with a raised eyebrow. “You’ll have to carry him over the bridge.” Jongin starts bending down and Kyungsoo struggles with his footing for a moment before managing to steady himself without putting weight on his injured foot. 

“You’re carrying.” Chanyeol says, turning back away from them and Jongin lets out a whine that startles Kyungsoo with how out of character it is. 

“Pleaaase! We have to hurry over the river and my legs feel like led.” Jongin is pouting so hard Kyungsoo can see it through the face mask. He looks over at Chanyeol who seems torn, concern obvious in his eyes as he looks at Jongin but hesitation when his eyes flick towards Kyungsoo. 

“Fine.” Chanyeol sighs, walking over to them and handing over the backpacks. Kyungsoo looks away when the taller leans in to ask how Jongin really is doing, pretending not to hear the whispered reassurances. 

“Hop on.” He orders and Kyungsoo follows as best as his leg allows him. Chanyeol rises quickly, using the moment to bounce Kyungsoo further up his back until he’s sitting securely with his legs just above the other’s hips. 

They set off again and Kyungsoo tries to keep his distance from Chanyeol as best he can without tipping too much of his weight backwards. The taller is ignoring him, eyes set on the road stretching out in front of them. 

The moment Jongin’s feet touch the bridge the quiet hum coming from the river changes. It increases in strength, acutely aware that someone has entered its territory, but much to Kyungsoo’s relief it doesn’t do more than that. 

He casts his eyes towards the black waters surrounding them, stretching endlessly to his left and right and lazily slushing up the riverbanks. He can’t stop a quiet gasp from leaving him. The river is beautiful, shimmering in the sunlight. It reminds him of the satin drapes he once saw in the Terminal decorating one of the few windows in the metro. It belongs to station management and is probably worth more caps than Kyungsoo has ever owned. But just like with the drapes Kyungsoo gets the feeling that something is hiding behind the beautiful surface. He subconsciously tightens his arms around Chanyeol, still looking at the gently rolling waves. 

“First time seeing the river?” Chanyeol asks, his voice flat and dull, nothing like the cheerfulness Kyungsoo is used too. 

“Yeah. It reminds me of the darkness.” Kyungsoo says, looking away from the river. 

“How do you mean?” Chanyeol asks, looking over at the river and squinting as if searching for something among the waves. 

“Like how if you enter it, you’ll never be able to leave.” Kyungsoo says, arms once again tightening around Chanyeol. There is a small pause in Chanyeol’s steps, a brief stop before he’s back to walking at a steady pace. 

“It’s probably the most dangerous thing up here.” He says and Kyungsoo makes a small sound to show that he’s listening. “There are boats on the river, unexplored, but no one dares to go near. Nana once told me that a scouting troop had gone out to explore a boat washed up on the river bank many many years ago. They were gone for days and when a second scouting group went to search for them they found half of them by the river bank. They had shot each other. No one knows why, it didn’t seem like they struggled. They were just laying there, a neat shot between the eyes on all of them. The other half was never found.” 

Kyungsoo feels himself shivering despite the heat. There is something in Chanyeol’s voice making his skin crawl, an emptiness he has only heard in the Metro before. He doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like the metro bleeding into the brightness that is up top. He doesn’t want the blackness to seep into the happiness inside Chanyeol. 

“Thank you.” Kyungsoo mumbles, trying to change the topic. “For going after me.” He swallows, the words hard to push out despite how much he wants Chanyeol to truly know he is grateful. “I probably wouldn’t have made it otherwise.”

“We haven’t made it yet.” Chanyeol points out and Kyungsoo doesn’t fail to notice the hint of teasing in the other’s voice. He pinches Chanyeol’s bicep. 

“Shut up. You know what I mean.” He grumbles and tries to stop a smile from forming when Chanyeol chuckles. “Besides I’m only saying this cause Jongin told me to. Apparently I was an asshole or something.” 

“Don’t get me mixed up in your fights!” Jongin calls at them and Kyungsoo makes a face at the younger. It had been him who said he should apologize after all. He should be pleased Kyungsoo is doing so. Jongin makes a face back, making Chanyeol burst out laughing, and suddenly it’s all like it was that day up on the roof. 

Kyungsoo lets out a low chuckle, leaning his chin on Chanyeol’s shoulder and looking over at Jongin with a fond smile. He can feel Chanyeol tighten his arms around him and they have barely stopped laughing before Chanyeol is starting up some game about spotting things with certain colours. Kyungsoo decides it’s a stupid game after losing the first two rounds but Jongin and Chanyeol keep playing, sneakily trying to get the other to guess the wrong thing. It’s clear it is a game they often play from the way they almost seem to know what the other is looking at before the round has even started. 

Their innate chatter is enough to drown out the humming from the river but Kyungsoo still makes sure to zone in on it every once in awhile, just to make sure it doesn’t change. Once Chanyeol’s last foot leaves the bridge the hum quietens down again, returning to what it had been before they stepped foot in its territory. Kyungsoo feels some tension leave his shoulders, happy to leave the black waters behind. 

Jongin points them towards a building a little ways away from the bridge and Kyungsoo can see a small fire outside of it and a group of four other travelers sitting around the fire. Merchants, Chanyeol explains as they walk closer and Kyungsoo notes how different they look from the traveling merchants in the metro. 

Here they’re greeted with open arms and invited in for a cup of tea. Chanyeol happily spills exactly where they are from and where they are going and Kyungsoo only manages to keep the why secret by speaking over Chanyeol when the taller goes to explain, lying that they’re visiting family. The merchants happily share the same information with them and Kyungsoo finally gets some use of his haggling skills when he manages to buy some of the potatoes and what Jongin calls a daikon off them for a reduced price. Chanyeol pays of course, he is the oldest after all. 

They spend the night curled up tightly inside the old convenience store and Kyungsoo half expects their things to be long gone along with the merchants when they wake up but much to his surprise everything is where they left it the night before. It’s a welcomed change from travel in the metro where anything left unguarded is the property of whoever happens to stumble upon it. A dog eat dog world people sometimes call it. Kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest. Call it what you want the reality remains the same. In the metro there are no laws, no humanity left. The moment the last lights of the stations fade away you become one of the monsters yourself, roaming for anything that can make your miserable existence last a little longer.

Here, up top, things work like Kyungsoo imagines society worked before the dust cloud. Here people trust each other, smile towards strangers and help those who need it. He just hopes the humanity dares to stretch its kindness down towards the metro too, towards Sinmokdong and everyone living there. 

They spend the whole of the next day walking, skirting between abandoned buildings and the borders of a large park. Chanyeol and Jongin are both very apprehensive on going close to the park despite its calm appearances. Instead they stick to main streets and small alleys when necessary. They spend midday in another abandoned shop today too, doing what Jongin and Chanyeol calls a siesta. It turns out to be just a normal nap to sleep through the hours when the sunshine is too strong to travel through. Once they set out after the siesta heavy clouds have started gathering by the horizon and Kyungsoo can’t tear his eyes away from the gray balls of fluff. It’s impossible, for something that large to just hang in the air like that, but still it does. Both Jongin and Chanyeol comment on them about how they wish they don’t come any closer but Kyungsoo wants them too. He wants to see them up close, wants to see that if he reaches high enough he can touch them. 

They arrive at another highrise just as the sun starts to set and Kyungsoo hesitantly watches as Chanyeol walks up to the guards by the entrance. The taller quickly exchanges a few words before waving the two of them over. Jongin huffs as he begins walking, swaying unsteadily as Kyungsoo almost tips them both backwards before steadying himself. 

“Your friend told us you’re injured.” One of the guards say, pointing at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at Chanyeol before confirming the statement with a quiet murmur. “We have someone who can help. Follow me” One of the guards says and the group make their way inside the highrise. 

“A mutant attack I heard. Is it bad?” The guard continues, moving towards the staircase. Kyungsoo looks at Chanyeol once more, surprised that the other hadn’t immediately spilled their whole life story. Chanyeol doesn’t meet his eye and Kyungsoo licks his lips as he thinks of what to answer. 

“It’s alright. I just can’t put any weight on it.” He says as they begin to ascend the staircase. The rest of the walk is made in silence, the climb too strenuous for small talk. Kyungsoo is shifted from Jongin to Chanyeol and lastly the guard before they reach the residency levels of the highrise. They have to climb a few more stairs deeper in the building to reach the small infirmary and when they do the guard sets him down on a bed before leaving the group alone. 

“Why did you lie?” Kyungsoo asks the moment they’re left alone, looking over at Chanyeol with a frown. The taller stops in the process of removing his outside gear and looks over at Kyungsoo with a shocked expression. 

“I- uuuuh.” He says, eyes flickering towards Jongin for a brief moment. “I honestly figured you didn’t have a problem with lying since, you know.” He settles for and Kyungsoo ignores the sting the words leave behind. 

“No, I mean. You’ve been telling everyone we’ve met so far exactly what’s happened.” Kyungsoo says and Chanyeol’s eyes widen in understanding. 

“Oh! Well you haven’t seemed too keen on it so I figured we should probably keep lowkey about it. That and I don’t think they would have let us in if they thought we would start fighting or something.” Chanyeol explains sheepishly and Kyungsoo feels a small smile grace his lips. He hides it behind his hands as he takes off his facemask. 

“Probably smart.” Jongin agrees, moving over to Chanyeol and all but walking straight into his chest. Chanyeol quickly wraps his arms around the youngest, swaying slowly as he whispers something quietly in Jongin’s ear. Kyungsoo looks away, feeling his cheeks heat up at the display of intimacy. Of course he knows Chanyeol and Jongin are a thing but Jongin is always so private, almost standoffish and Kyungsoo kinda half put them down for one of those couples who doesn’t do lovey dovey stuff. Now he feels like he’s intruding on a moment as Chanyeol pulls Jongin down into his lap and they happily snuggle up next to each other. 

He busies himself with folding and unfolding his facemask, sneaking glances at the couple and trying not to let his eyes linger on the way Jongin’s fingers are curled around Chanyeol’s hands or how Chanyeol so easily embraces someone as tall as Jongin. Unbidden his mind produces a picture of him and Jongin in the bath and how Jongin’s frame had managed to envelop him so completely. Something rises inside of him, something almost like jealousy but not at all at the same time. He steals another glance at them, his fingers twisting in the fabric of his facemask. 

They’re not doing anything, not kissing, not hugging, not talking, but Kyungsoo feels as if he walked in on the two of them having sex. The way Jongin so easily relaxes against Chanyeol, the two of them melding together until they are more like one being than two separate people. Kyungsoo should want to leave and he tries to convince himself that that is what he indeed does want, but the weird feeling of almost jealousy but not at all in his guts tell him something else that Kyungsoo refuses to listen too. 

He shifts a little on the bed and feels his cheeks heat up as the metal frame groans. Chanyeol lazily opens and eye and looks over at him and Kyungsoo tries to play it off like he hasn’t been watching them for the past minute. 

“Does it hurt?” Chanyeol asks, not at all seeming bothered by the fact that Kyungsoo is in the same room as them. The weird feeling in his gut flutters. 

“No.” Kyungsoo answers quickly with a shake of his head despite his leg throbbing with every heartbeat. Chanyeol smiles and hums in reply, once more closing his eyes and relaxing back into his chair. Kyungsoo’s eye linger on the pair and he subconsciously compares them. They’re nothing alike, Jongin’s face chiseled and strong while Chanyeol’s is rounder, neater but still has an air of masculinity, but still they match so well together. Jongin is cautious and strategic while Chanyeol is impulsive and trusting to the point where Kyungsoo would take him for gullible if he hadn’t known better. They even each other out, one of them strong where the other is weak. 

The sound of the door handle being pushed down tears him from his thoughts and Kyungsoo quickly looks away at the bedside table, suddenly very interested in the empty surface. Jongin is out of Chanyeol’s lap and standing off to the side before the door can be fully opened and Kyungsoo tries not to read too much into the fact that he is the only one Jongin is comfortable enough to be that relaxed around. 

The doctor is a short round woman, almost nearing her 50’s and Kyungsoo greets her with a deep bow and polite words. She’s clinical as she examines him, nothing like Lay back at Yeouido, and Kyungsoo suddenly feels very alone on the bed despite Chanyeol and Jongin being right there, on the other side of the room. She seems doubtful of the story about the mutant but doesn’t say anything and once she’s done Kyungsoo is left with a new bandage and cuts that ache from whatever salve that he put on them. 

“You’re on bedrest until I say otherwise.” The doctor says and Kyungsoo blinks, opening his mouth to protest but Jongin beats him to it. 

“He can’t. We’re leaving tomorrow.” He says and Kyungsoo nods, grateful of Jongin’s support. 

“He’s not going anywhere with a leg like that.” She protests. “He can’t walk on it for another four days at least.” She says and Kyungsoo sends her a quiet glare. 

“We’re carrying him. He doesn’t need to walk.” Chanyeol explains and Kyungsoo nods when she looks over at him. Normally he would hate people speaking for him, he can fight his own battles, but he strangely doesn’t mind the help from the other two. 

“Look, your friend has open cuts that could easily get infected if not looked after properly. Now I don’t think either of you are trained to treat such things-” She begins but Chanyeol harshly cuts her off, raising his voice for the first time since Kyungsoo first met him. 

“Well you’re wrong. We know perfectly well how to look after a cut and neither of us are stupid enough to not care for ourselves. Does this look like our first trip outside?” Chanyeol challenges and the doctor blinks in surprise at the sudden resistance, hesitating for a moment. 

“No- no you look like-”

“Exactly.” Jongin butts in, interrupting her once more. “We’re leaving tomorrow and you can either give us some more antibacterial salve or leave us alone.” 

She blinks, looking lost for a moment before nodding with jerky movements, producing a jar from a locked cabinet by the door and handing it to Chanyeol. 

“Here, change the bandages one in the morning and once at night.” She says, sending both Jongin and Chanyeol a glare as she regains some of her lost control before giving them brief instructions on where they can spend the night and leaving them alone. 

Kyungsoo lasts a grand total of 3 seconds before he can’t hold back a laugh. Jongin follows soon after, exchanging shocked looks with Chanyeol who is staring at the jar in his hands as if he can’t believe what just happened.

* * *

Kyungsoo can’t stop thinking about how readily Jongin and Chanyeol had stepped in to make sure Kyungsoo could continue on his trip to the Seoul City hall and how easy it would have been for them to stop him if they had wanted to. He’s practically immobile at the moment without help and if they had wanted to they could have easily carried him back to Yeouido. In fact, the more he thinks about it the less sense it makes that they didn’t. 

They had came after him to make sure they could bring him back, that had been the sole reason Jongin and Chanyeol had even followed him, and they had ended up agreeing to take him to the other side of Seoul without barely any resistance. What makes even less sense is that Jongin had been the one arguing for following through with Kyungsoo’s reckless and impulsive plan and Chanyeol being the one protesting. 

If there is one thing Kyungsoo knows about Jongin it is that the younger would never do anything he knows could put Chanyeol in danger, or that could hurt him in any way. The trip to Seoul City hall not only puts them all at risk of death every day but also has no other motivation for Jongin other than Kyungsoo wants, no needs, to do it. It’s not worth the risk for any of them but Kyungsoo. 

He opens his eyes, looking over to where Jongin is sitting by the edge of the futon. The younger is reading a book he brought along in the weak light of the only lamp in the room. They are in a cramped guestroom barely large enough to fit four people. They had rented two futons and decided to share between the three of them, without consulting Kyungsoo about it mind you, but since Kyungsoo’s caps are useless up here he lets the people with the money decide. There is room for two more futons in the other side of the room and other than the lamp and their backpacks there is nothing else in the room. 

The room Kyungsoo had slept in back in Yeouido hadn’t been much bigger but had been decorated with small trinkets left behind by other travelers. Here the walls hang oddly bare and Kyungsoo gets the distinct feeling that they are the first ones to sleep in this room for a long time. Next to him Chanyeol is twisting and turning, trying to get comfortable and Kyungsoo debates on whether or not a third punch will be any more effective in getting the other to stay still than the previous two had been. He decides no. 

“Why do you want to go with me to Seoul City hall?” Kyungsoo asks, directing the question at no one in particular. Next to him Chanyeol finally stills and Kyungsoo takes the opportunity to hog some more of the blanket. Jongin is still looking at his book but Kyungsoo can tell he has stopped reading. 

“To help you of course.” Chanyeol answers, his pitch rising at the end of his statement and making it sound more like a question. 

“You didn’t even want to come.” Kyungsoo says, turning his back on Chanyeol and looking over at Jongin. The youngest closes his book and gently sets it down, his hand lingering on it for a moment as he clearly thinks about what to answer. 

“Like Chanyeol said, to help you.” Jongin says, turning back around to face Kyungsoo with a blank look on his face. He’s not wearing anything but his underwear and with his skin illuminated like this from behind he looks almost like he is glowing. 

“You didn’t care about Sinmokdong until I mentioned it’s my home station.” Kyungsoo pushes. One of Chanyeol’s long arms sneak around his waist and pulls him back against his firm chest, almost as if he’s holding Kyungsoo back. 

Jongin is quiet for a long moment and Kyungsoo has almost given up on getting an answer when Jongin sighs and lays down next to them, his eyes glued to the ceiling. 

“I’m not originally from Yeouido.” Jongin starts and Kyungsoo feels Chanyeol raise up on his elbow behind him, reaching out with the hand draped over Kyungsoo’s waist and grabbing Jongin’s hand. 

“Jongin you don’t have to.” He says and Kyungsoo cranes his neck to look back at Chanyeol. His eyebrows are knitted with worry and there is a strange tenseness to his lips that Kyungsoo almost takes as disapproval. 

“No but... it’s not more than fair that I’m honest when he has been.” Jongin says, squeezing Chanyeol’s hand softly. Hesitantly Chanyeol lowers himself back into the mattress. 

Like I said. I’m not originally from Yeouido.” Jongin continues, licking his lips and drawing a deep breath. “I was born in a highrise called Yongwang and I lived there until about four years ago. It was an old building, or I guess they all are but Yongwang was old even when the dust cloud hit. We weren’t many people living there, maybe a fourth of the people at Yeouido but it was my home you know.” Jongin pauses and for a long moment the room is quiet except for their breathing. “We got attacked by mutants one day. It wasn’t Passengers but they were almost as big and they began tearing at the building. We managed to fend them off but then they came back the next week, and the week after that and then the week after that. In the middle of one attack the whole highrise suddenly started groaning, it was the loudest sound I’ve ever heard, and the walls started cracking. One of the upper floors started caving in and soon it was clear that the whole building was about to fall apart.”

Jongin stops for a moment and Kyungsoo can see Chanyeol squeeze Jongin’s hand in a quiet question. The other looks over at Chanyeol with shiny eyes and smiles a weak smile. Kyungsoo slowly reaches out to place his hand over the two interlocked ones, also giving it a small squeeze. 

“Thanks.” Jongin says, clearing his throat before continuing. “We had to evacuate, of course. Most of us didn’t make it between the mutants and the collapsing building but me and a few others did. We set off blindly in hopes of finding another highrise that would take us in. A few of us got separated on the way and in the end only me and Sehun made it to Yeouido. I don’t know if anyone else survived.” Jongin takes a shuddering breath. “I remember thinking that I would give anything to save Yongwang if I could, anything to save just one more of my friends. That’s not the way things happened but... I thought that if I could do one thing to make it better, it would be to make sure no one else lost their home.” 

Jongin’s eyes suddenly locks with Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo finds his mouth going dry, his chest suddenly tight and a lump at the back of his throat that he can’t swallow down no matter how hard he tries. 

“Thanks.” Kyungsoo whispers, squeezing the hands in his once more and Jongin nods, blinking rapidly and looking away. Kyungsoo half expects Chanyeol to untangle himself from Kyungsoo and move to comfort Jongin and in a subconscious action to make him stay Kyungsoo circles his fingers around the other’s wrist, however Chanyeol only snuggles closer to Kyungsoo, his chest pressed firmly against Kyungsoo’s back and their legs curled around each others’. 

Kyungsoo can’t help but compare this moment to the one earlier at the infirmary except now it’s him and Chanyeol together and Jongin on the outside. Except Jongin isn’t really on the outside and it occurs to Kyungsoo that maybe he hadn’t been either. He can feel his heart speed up in his chest and suddenly Chanyeol’s breath feels so hot against his ear. He slowly lets go of the other’s wrist and curls it against his chest. Chanyeol reaches out to grab Jongin, rolling him over on his side until he’s facing Kyungsoo and interlacing their fingers together. The interlaced hands come to a rest in front of Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s knuckles for a moment accidentally ghosting against Kyungsoo’s lips before he presses back further into the tallers chest. Jongin closes his eyes and draws a deep breath, resting his forehead against Chanyeol’s fingers and Kyungsoo can see the tension slowly leave his shoulders. 

Kyungsoo licks his lips, trying to think of anything to say to distract himself from the weird fluttery feeling in his gut and the pounding of his heart. He curls up tighter and Chanyeol follows, burying his head in Kyungsoo’s hair. 

“Who’s Sehun?” Kyungsoo whispers, afraid to break the small bubble they’ve created for themselves. 

“A story for another night.” Chanyeol whispers against his neck and a shiver runs down his spine. “Now sleep.” Kyungsoo nods, licking his lips again and curling his toes in the blanket. Jongin is already breathing heavily opposite him and Kyungsoo feels the rise and fall of Chanyeol’s chest slow down until he too is sleeping. Kyungsoo falls asleep five minutes later, his chest rising and falling in synch with Chanyeol’s and his hand loosely grasped around Jongin’s wrist. 

When he wakes up the warm presence of Chanyeol against his back is gone and the first thing Kyungsoo sees is Jongin’s plump lips gently parted only inches away from him, the other deeply asleep. His hand is still curled around Jongin’s wrist and his other had has gone up to rest gently against Jongin’s bare chest, the heat of the tanned skin spreading up his arm until it is filling his whole body and burning on his cheeks. Kyungsoo draws in a sharp breath, looking down and quickly pullings the hand touching Jongin’s chest back against himself. He can still feel the heat linger against his fingertips, feel how smooth the skin was and how the touch had filled his middle with a gentle tickle that forces a smile to his lips.

He shrugs up his shoulder, hiding under the covers before sneaking a look at Jongin through his lashes. The other is still sleeping soundly, his warm breath ghosting over his open lips in slow intervals. Kyungsoo lets his eyes trail up the plush lips and the straight nose to the other’s closed eyes, partly hidden by a lock of sunbleached brown hair. He has seen Jongin and Chanyeol kiss maybe once or twice. Jongin always pushes Chanyeol’s long bangs out of the way before pressing his lips against the other’s and Kyungsoo’s hand twitches with the want to do the same. 

Slowly as to not wake the other up he moves a shaking hand to Jongin’s forehead and pushes the lock away, tucking it behind his ear like the taller always does with Chanyeol. It falls back into his eyes a second later and Kyungsoo decides he likes it better like that. He shifts closer, his tongue subconsciously wetting his lips. Jongin is still breathing heavily, his warm breath now mingling with Kyungsoo’s own. Chanyeol sometimes presses a gentle kiss against Jongin’s forehead, eyes closed as the oldest lingers for a moment before pulling away. Kyungsoo wonders if he were to do the same, would Jongin softly smile and wrap his hands around his waist too? He licks his lips again, his middle suddenly bubbling with thousands of tiny flutters. 

Before he can think better of it, reflect about the fact that it’s actually already Chanyeol and Jongin and that there is no room for anything between the two of them, he moves forwards and presses his lips against Jongin’s, holding his breath as he curls up before letting out a deep sigh and tightening his grip on Jongin’s wrist. Jongin’s lips are just as soft as his smile, the pink skin as warm as the look in his eyes. He presses closers, gently parting his lips before closing them in a kiss again, tasting more of the other’s sweetness. Jongin is like a soy bean, soft and sweet once you get past the rough exterior and Kyungsoo wants more and more of the taste. 

The sound of a handle being pushed down fills the room and Kyungsoo quickly rolls over on his back, turning his head away from the door and closing his eyes. His heart thunders in his chest and it takes his all to make sure he’s not panting. The flutter in his middle has turned to stones and Kyungsoo swallows, pretending to be asleep as he hears Chanyeol move into the room and gently rouse Jongin from his sleep.


	11. Chapter 11 - Chanyeol

Chanyeol blinks, his hand tightening on the door handle as he takes in the sight in front of him. Kyungsoo is kissing Jongin. The smaller had surged forwards and pressed his lips against Jongin in a not too gentle way and is now practically melting into the kiss. Kyungsoo is kissing Jongin. Kyungsoo is kissing his Jongin. _His_ Kyungsoo is kissing _his_ Jongin. 

Chanyeol smiles, a feeling of something pleasant he can’t entirely name bubbling up inside him. He knows he should probably feel jealousy or anger or any of those other feelings partners are supposed to feel but he can’t find it within himself. The soft look in Kyungsoo’s eyes makes his heart beat faster and the way Jongin’s hand is reaching towards the other’s waist as if wanting to hold onto Kyungsoo makes him giddy with what he can only call love. 

He remembers finding Sehun and Jongin curled up around each other in the mornings, both of them equally as tired in the morning and Chanyeol remembers how there had been nothing better than to curl himself around one of them and join in. He could do the same so easily now, curl around Kyungsoo like he had done last night and run a hand through Jongin’s hair that way the youngest loved. It would be so easy, to fall back on old habits and form new. 

Kyungsoo presses closer once more, letting out a needy little sound that Chanyeol would love to find out which buttons to press to recreate it. His fingers loosen around the handle and he has almost taken another step into the room when he sees Jongin’s hand fist in the air, his shoulders suddenly tensing. Guilt fills Chanyeol’s stomach, shame making his cheeks heat up and he stops in his tracks.

Jongin doesn’t want this. He doesn’t want three, not ever again. And Chanyeol had promised him that he would never do anything that the other doesn’t want. After all he cannot find it within himself to ever hurt Jongin, no matter how much Kyungsoo has come to mean to him. He swallows and takes a step back out of the room, pulling the door almost closed behind himself. He takes a deep breath and forces a smile on his lips before noisily pressing the door hand down. 

The rustling sounds of what can only be Kyungsoo throwing himself away from Jongin follows a moment later and Chanyeol pushes the door all the way open, pretending not to notice how Kyungsoo is breathing way too fast to be asleep of how Jongin wakes way too easily. 

“I’ve got breakfast.” He whispers to Jongin who nods with sleepy eyes and reaches out to shake Kyungsoo awake. Chanyeol catches his hand before he can rouse the smaller. “Let him sleep.” He says, making sure it’s loud enough so Kyungsoo can hear it and pulling Jongin back towards himself. He presses a quick kiss against the other’s lips, trying not to think too much of how the skin is still wet from Kyungsoo’s lips and how that makes his whole body tingle with want.

Jongin heaves himself out of bed, pulling on the first shirt he finds, it’s Chanyeol’s, and the two of them make their way out of the room. Chanyeol had bought them all a roasted sweet potato for breakfast, knowing how much both Jongin and Kyungsoo enjoys the sweet taste, and his heart aches slightly as he watches the three hot treats smoke in the small bag by the door. 

The two of them make their way to the staircase nearby, sitting down at the top of the steps and Chanyeol hands over one of the potatoes, grabbing one for himself. Jongin blows it slightly before taking a large bite and Chanyeol can’t hold back a chuckle as the younger grimaces from being burnt by the hot meat. Every time the same and still Jongin never learns. 

“Kyungsoo loves these.” Jongin says through a mouthful of potato, swallowing with another a grunt before blowing at the potato to cool it down faster. “We should have woken him.” 

“He needs to sleep so his leg can heal.” Chanyeol answers, peeling away some of the skin with his teeth and blowing at the orange meat. Jongin shrugs next to him, taking another bite despite the steam still rising from the potato. Chanyeol can see him burn his tongue once more. 

A comfortable silence lowers itself over them and Chanyeol takes his first bite, watching Jongin wolf down his food with fond eyes. He shifts his eyes towards the covered windows lighting up the staircase opposite them. It is barely past seven in the morning but the sun is already up and spreading its light. Today is different from other days though. 

“It’s raining.” Chanyeol sighs, looking down at his shoes. His shoelace is fraying halfway up on his left boot and if he doesn’t change it soon it’s going to snap. Maybe Jongin has some spare ones in his backpack. 

“What?” Jongin asks, the word muffled by the potato in his mouth. 

“It’s raining. We can’t continue on today.” Chanyeol repeats, looking over at Jongin who looks back at him with raised eyebrow. It’s rare for it to rain this early in the year. Usually it’s not until the middle of the summer when the rain season hits that the first drops fall and any rain before or after then is a rare sight. On one hand the rain is a blessing for them, it refills their water tanks and waters their plants, providing them with much needed moisture. On the other hand the mutants also cherish the rain and if you’re foolish enough to be outdoors during the chances of you returning home are close to none. 

“I guess we’ll have to hang out here then.” Jongin says, slowing down in his eating as he watches the window. You can’t see the rain through the curtains but if you listen carefully you can almost hear it patter against the glass. “Kyungsoo’s going to be real disappointed.” He says with a pout and Chanyeol can’t help but smile despite the bad news. 

It’s obvious how close Kyungsoo’s become to the two of them. Even if Jongin wouldn’t admit it Chanyeol can see that the smaller is on his mind as much as he is on Chanyeol’s own. Just the fact that they’re all the way over here, on the other side of the Han river and blindly walking against a goal so foreign to them it might as well be imaginary is testimony to how much Jongin actually cares. He even went so far as to tell Kyungsoo what had happened to Yongwang, something Chanyeol hadn’t found out in its entirety until a year into knowing Jongin and Sehun. 

He supposes he should feel jealous again of how quickly Jongin is opening up to Kyungsoo but once more all he feels is a warm light feeling spreading in his chest. Jongin, the one person he cares more about that anyone else on this world, is happy because of Kyungsoo. How can he do anything other than adore Kyungsoo because of that. 

“It was real nice of you to tell Kyungsoo about Yongwang last night.” He says, taking another bite of his sweet potato. Jongin looks down and Chanyeol can see a blush rise on his cheeks as the younger curls up next to him. 

“It felt fair, you know.” Jongin says with a shrug. “Since he told us about Sinmokdong and everything.” He pushes the last piece of sweet potato in his mouth and Chanyeol holds back a laugh as Jongin struggles to chew. 

“Still...” Chanyeol says once Jongin’s got his chewing under control. “You didn’t tell me for forever even if I told you my secrets.” 

“Everyone and their mother knows your secrets.” Jongin says through his mouthful and Chanyeol sticks his tongue out at the other. Jongin answers with the same. 

“I’m trying to be a nice boyfriend and support you here.” Chanyeol says and Jongin quickly snuggles up next to him, looking up at him with obviously faked puppy eyes. 

“I’m sorry Yebo. Please continue.” Jongin says in an overly sweet voice and Chanyeol bends down to steal his lips in another kiss, his hand coming to rest at Jongin’s waist. When he pulls back Jongin is smiling up at him and Chanyeol can feel his heart swell. 

“I’m just saying that.” He takes a deep breath, tearing his eyes away from the other to gather his courage. “I feel like Kyungsoo fits very well with us.” He licks his lips, avoiding looking down at Jongin. “Like, you know...Sehun well.” 

Jongin’s warm presence disappears from his side and Chanyeol can almost feel the other build his walls back up. He knows he’s stepped over a line but he can’t help it. Jongin could be so so happy with Kyungsoo. He just needs to realise that while Sehun is gone the happiness they had together doesn’t need to be. 

“Jongin.” Chanyeol says as the other stands up, reaching out to grab Jongin’s wrist. Jongin tears his arm free, walking away from the stairs and pushing the door leading deeper into the complex open. His shoulders are set in a hard line and his gait is stiff as if he’s stopping himself from running away. “Please, Jongin.” Chanyeol stands up, walking after the other. It feels like he has left his guts on the stairs and his heart aches as Jongin speeds up his walk. 

“I saw him kissing you.” Chanyeol blurts out and Jongin stops. “This morning. I should have said something but I wanted you to tell me when you wanted to.” He sucks in a deep breath and holds it, waiting for Jongin’s reply. 

“What are you talking about?” Jongin asks with a faked laugh, turning around to face Chanyeol and it hurts, the way his eyes are glaring at him. “Who kissed me?” 

“I know you were awake.” Chanyeol says and Jongin sucks in a sharp breath, looking away. “Jongin-ah. Please. I really really like him and I know you do too.” 

“I can’t.” Jongin forces out, his voice shaky. Chanyeol takes a slow step forwards, reaching out towards Jongin. The younger takes his hand and slowly swings it, blinking rapidly as he chooses his next words. “I don’t care how much you like him. He’s not Sehun.” Jongin says and Chanyeol tugs at his hand. Jongin easily falls into his arms, burying his face in Chanyeol’s shoulder and wrapping his arms tightly around the taller. Chanyeol presses his lips against Jongin’s forehead, thinking carefully about what to say next. 

“He’s not supposed to be Sehun. Only Sehun can be Sehun. Kyungsoo’s not a replacement, no one could ever be.” He takes a deep breath, feeling Jongin tremble in his arm. He swallows, trying to get the lump out of his throat. “Please Jongin.” He whispers, hoping those words are enough to convey what he wants said. He know’s there is a hole in Jongin’s heart where Sehun used to be, a hole that can never be filled, but he knows there is enough room in Jongin’s heart for Kyungsoo too. They don’t have to compete for the same space. Just like Chanyeol can fit so perfectly in Jongin’s heart without disturbing anything else so can Kyungsoo. Jongin just have to believe. 

“Please.” 

“I’ll give it a chance.” Jongin forces out after a moment of silence, pressing his face against Chanyeol’s chest. Chanyeol feels himself smile and brings his hand up to run through Jongin’s hair. 

“Really?” He asks, swallowing once more and smiling down at the man in his arms. Jongin nods, sniffing quietly before pulling back and looking at Chanyeol with eyes filled with seriousness. 

“I’m not promising anything though. I want you to know that Chanyeol.” He says and Chanyeol nods, letting out a chuckle at the quick change in Jongin’s deamor. 

“As long as you try, that’s all I’m asking for.” He says before bending down and capturing Jongin’s lips in a soft kiss. Jongin sighs, pulling away a moment later and Chanyeol lets him, knowing that Jongin needs his space every once in awhile. 

“We should probably go and check in on him.” Jongin says with a flat voice, his walls obviously having been pulled up once more. Chanyeol agrees, reaching out to give Jongin’s hand a small squeeze before returning to where he has left the bag with Kyungsoo’s sweet potato on the stairs. 

Once he gets to their room Jongin is already in the process of waking Kyungsoo up and Chanyeol can’t help but smile as Kyungsoo proves to be as hard to rouse from sleep as Jongin is. The smaller whines and rolls away from Jongin’s hands as he tries to shake him awake. Jongin sighs but Chanyeol can hear it’s the same sigh Jongin uses for Chanyeol whenever the oldest is being particularly annoying but Jongin still finds it charming. It’s a lovely sound and Chanyeol doesn’t mind sharing it with Kyungsoo for one second. 

“I have sweet potatoes.” Chanyeol tries before Jongin’s shaking turns too rough. Kyungsoo mumbles something in reply that has Jongin sighing once more and Chanyeol laughs. Deciding to step in before Jongin resorts to pulling the covers off Kyungsoo Chanyeol moves to the bed and lays down next to Kyungsoo. Jongin raises and eyebrow in question to him but Chanyeol only smirks in reply. 

“Kyungsoo-aaah!” He singsongs, wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo and snuggling him close. Kyungsoo whines and tries to roll out of his grip but has nowhere to go except into the wall. “Kyungsoooooo!” He wraps his leg around Kyungsoo, snuggling his face into the others back and Kyungsoo starts squirming, trying to get out of the suffocating grip. 

“Hyung!” Kyungsoo mutters and Chanyeol makes a small sound, suggling in further. Much to his surprise he sees Jongin join them, laying down practically on top of Kyungsoo and blowing in the smaller’s ear. Kyungsoo lets out an annoyed growl and Jongin laughs, wiggling on top of the other. Chanyeol decides to do the same, making the Kyungsoo bundle wriggle with newfound energy. 

“Kyungsoo-aaaaaaaah!” Jongin sings, mimicking Chanyeol who laughs happily as Kyungsoo almost manages to shake Jongin off of him. “Wakey wakey!” Jongin continues, blowing in Kyungsoo’s ear once more. Abruptly he’s thrown off and Kyungsoo sits up, his thick eyebrows furrowed close together and his hand comes up as if to smack the first person he lays his eyes on. It happens to be Chanyeol. 

“Really! I swear I’m gonna punch your nose in if you don’t.” He spits and Chanyeol rolls away before Kyungsoo’s open palm can connect with him, giggling madly. He shuffles behind Jongin who’s laughing almost as hard as himself, his arms raised in surrender. Kyungsoo glares at them, his large eyes nothing but thin slits and his plump lips set into a strong pout. He looks adorable with his hair wildly sticking up all over the place and Jongin’s too big sleep t-shirt hanging off his shoulder. 

Adorable and ready to kill. 

“I have sweet potatoes!” Chanyeol repeats between laughs, throwing the bag at Kyungsoo who’s eyes thin into an impossibly stronger glare. Thankfully he lowers his hand a moment later and sticks it into the bag, pulling out the still warm treat and tearing open the skin. 

“This friend seriously. Waking me up like that. Not knowing it’s Kyungsoo- _yah_ not Kyungsoo-ah” He mutters under his breath, making Jongin and Chanyeol dissolve into further giggles. “And it’s Hyung to you, Jongin-ah.” He says, directing his eyes towards Jongin who only laughs more in reply. Kyungsoo sighs, looking away before puffing up his cheeks and blowing at the sweet potato in his hands. 

“Cute.” Jongin wheeses and Kyungsoo once more turns his eyes towards the youngest, his lips still pursed to blow as he glares as Jongin. Chanyeol has to agree, it is beyond cute and he snuggles up to a still laughing Jongin, wishing that this is how all their mornings would go. 

“Shut up.” Kyungsoo mutters, turning back to his sweet potato. Jongin lets out another snort, relaxing down into the bedding and watching as Kyungsoo eats, his cheeks suspiciously red. Chanyeol sighs, a happy smile on his lips as he takes in the look in Jongin’s eyes. Yes, convincing him to give Kyungsoo a chance will definitely be worth it.


	12. Chapter 12 - Jongin

It takes another two days for the rain to ease up. Two days of Jongin, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo living basically on top of each other and while Jongin is used to having Chanyeol clinging to him at all times he had expected to butt heads with Kyungsoo quite a few times in such close proximity. While Jongin isn’t one to state his displeasure he had expected Kyungsoo to be, considering how straightforward the other had been with things earlier. And Kyungsoo had been, but instead of the snide remarks Jongin had expected to get had been more statements along the lines of ‘I’m gonna sit here and do this’ or ‘I don’t want to do that so I’m doing this instead’, which had made things surprisingly easy. 

The fact that Kyungsoo is so easy to get along with, that he fits into their small duo without any tension, just makes Chanyeol’s proposition roll around in his head even more. Jongin can’t help but compare things to how it had been with Sehun and everytime he does his heart will ache with longing. What keeps confusing him and keeping him from dropping his musings is that he can’t figure out if the longing is for Sehun, for someone to be in Sehun’s place or for Kyungsoo to make a new spot for himself in their broken trio. 

It is like a scab, even if it hurts Jongin can’t stop picking at it and every time there is a lull in their conversation his mind will unbidden return to the topic of Kyungsoo. He finds himself watching the smaller in a way he hadn’t before. Watch how he moves and how he speaks, the way he seem to be almost pouting every time he talks and how his eyes crinkle into half moons whenever he smiles. Of course he can’t go without comparing him to Sehun. Where Kyungsoo is short and compact Sehun had been tall and slim. Kyungsoo is round and soft where Sehun had been angular and pointy. Appearance wise, they couldn’t be further apart, but their personality keeps surprising Jongin with their similarities. The quietness that easily turn into chattiness if you just know what questions to ask. The stoic expressions that break up into happy smiles if you just know what buttons to push. The unspoken gestures of fondness that they spread around themselves. They are so different and so alike at the same time. 

Chanyeol has of course noticed his sudden interest in Kyungsoo and Jongin wishes the taller wouldn’t know him quite that well because then he won’t have to keep telling Chanyeol he is still thinking about it whenever he is asked about Kyungsoo. If Kyungsoo has noticed his sudden interest he isn’t saying anything, for which Jongin is grateful. When you can’t even explain your own emotions to yourself how can you possibly try and explain it to someone else? He just needs to think about it more. 

Which is exactly what he is doing right now, his mind wandering as they keep trekking towards the City hall. It’s early afternoon and they’re all hoping to reach the City hall before night falls. Kyungsoo is limping along in front of him, a stoic expression on his face despite both Jongin and Chanyeol being able to tell that his leg is causing him pain. The walk yesterday had gone well, Kyungsoo only slowing them down a little bit but today he has been getting slower and slower with each hour they have been walking and while the siesta they had had about 30 minutes ago has returned some of his energy he is still clearly having a hard time to keep pace with Jongin and Chanyeol. 

That’s one thing where Kyungsoo and Sehun differ quite a lot. Kyungsoo is stubborn to the point where even Jongin has to count himself defeated at times. Sehun, on the other hand, had been quick to give up and give in, whining over how hard things are or people ganging up on him. Jongin finds that he can’t pick which one he prefers and decides to just drop the train of thought in favour of walking up to Kyungsoo. 

“Get on my back.” He says, taking off his backpack and crouching down in front of the other. Kyungsoo hobbles past him with an annoyed expression. 

“I’m fine.” He says and Jongin sighs, straightening up once more and catching up to Kyungsoo. It doesn’t take any effort. 

“You’re limping. If your leg gets hurt again we’ll have to stay and rest at the City hall once we reach it.” Jongin says, reaching out with his backpack towards Chanyeol who hikes it up on his front without any questions. Kyungsoo orders the taller to give the bag back to Jongin since he’s not getting up on the other’s back. Chanyeol pretends he can’t hear Kyungsoo. 

“Kyungsoo. Come on.” Jongin sighs, not being able to hold back a smile as Kyungsoo speeds up with obvious effort, trying to prove he can keep up with the two of them. “Just let me carry you. We’re going to reach the City hall faster then.” He says and Kyungsoo slows down, a calculating look in his eyes. 

“Fine.” Kyungsoo eventually sighs, stopping so Jongin can position himself in front of Kyungsoo. “But only so we can reach the City hall as fast as possible.” He adds almost in warning and Jongin is glad he has his back turned towards the smaller or else he wouldn’t be able to hide the amused smile on his lips. 

“Just hop on.” Jongin says. Kyungsoo manages to knee him in the side a grand total of three times as he tries to get on and Jongin’s quite sure none of them are an accident. He gets back at the other when he straightens up with a little bit more force than necessary, causing Kyungsoo to almost go flying and having to hold onto his shoulders for dear life. Chanyeol is giggling at the sight of the two of them and when Jongin turns to send him a glare he bursts out into full on chuckles, his eyes twinkling with affection. 

Jongin decides it’s his turn to take the front and starts to quickly walk away, leaving a gasping Chanyeol to catch up to him as he steers his feet down the long street. Kyungsoo is tense on his back the first few hundred meters before he relaxes against Jongin, his exhaustion clear in the way he sighs. Jongin gives the other’s thighs a gentle squeeze, not being able to stop himself. Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything in reply, only burying his face in Jongin’s shoulder. 

One of the things Jongin likes the most about Kyungsoo is probably how quiet he is, even more quiet than Sehun ever was. But Kyungsoo still seems to be saying so much and Jongin can’t think of a moment since they left for the City hall that he hasn’t known at least a little about what’s going on in Kyungsoo’s mind. While Chanyeol has always been quick to talk about his feelings and thoughts Sehun had been more quiet, more like Jongin where you have to coax a little bit before you found anything out. Kyungsoo on the other hand is like a book, Jongin wouldn’t exactly call it an open book. You still have to work, turn the pages for yourself and carefully read the lettering but once you know how to do it he clearly displays whatever it is he is feeling or thinking. Of course there might be more hiding behind the surface but Jongin finds that Kyungsoo is probably one of the most uncomplex people he has ever met. If he says one thing he means it, no trying to hide, no trying to please anyone on the expense of himself. At the same time he’s probably one of the most guarded people Jongin has ever met. The kiss for example. Jongin would have never been able to tell that Kyungsoo has any sort of feelings beyond platonic for him if the other hadn’t actually gone ahead and kissed him. What he doesn’t want seen he hides well. 

Jongin casts a look towards Chanyeol who sends him a thumbs up, his eyes crinkling behind his sunglasses and Jongin can tell he’s smiling. He can’t help but wonder if Kyungsoo has the same feelings for Chanyeol as he does towards Jongin, if there even are feelings. Maybe Kyungsoo had simply felt like kissing him in that moment and done so. But...that kiss hadn’t been a spur of the moment kiss. It had been filled with emotions, longing, fear, nervousness, desire, wonder. He can remember how hesitant Kyungsoo’s lips had felt against his at first before the other had deepened the kiss, bearing himself for Jongin. He wishes he could have opened his eyes, seen the look on Kyungsoo face. He wishes he had been brave enough to kiss back, just so he could know what is truly hiding behind the facade of simplicity the smaller has built up. 

He licks his lips, looking down at his shoulder where Kyungsoo is resting. The smaller has his eyes closed, the frown that had been present since early morning finally gone. His breath warms a spot on the neck of his turtleneck and his arms are loosely looped around Jongin’s chest, holding onto the fabric of his shirt. Jongin stubbornly turns his eyes back towards the road, swallowing down the warm fuzzy feeling rising inside of him. 

He used to be the one to take care of Sehun and he misses it much much more than he has realized. He wants to be able to do the same, to take care of Kyungsoo too in the same way he cares for Chanyeol and used to care for Sehun and the fact that Kyungsoo allows him makes his heart swell with feelings Jongin has a hard time processing. He feels torn. Is it okay for him to feel this way again, to find someone just as perfect as he found Sehun. Wouldn’t that diminish what he felt for Sehun, make it less special by comparison. He can’t do that to Sehun, could never make Sehun less than the most important person in his life. And Chanyeol already holds the position of the other most important person in his life. If he added Kyungsoo to the same list wouldn’t that make the role meaningless. There can barely be more than one most important person in someone’s life, let alone three. 

But at the same time, what he feels for Kyungsoo is so strong. The warmth that bubbles inside him whenever Kyungsoo smiles. The way he relaxes and lets down his guards without even noticing. The way he wants to desperately find a way to return the kiss, wants to make sure Chanyeol can also feel the press of those plush lips against his own. Isn’t that what he used to feel with Sehun? The feelings are both so different but oh so alike. It’s makes something dark and heavy twist with the fluffy clouds inside him and Jongin can’t put his finger on exactly what is making him feel like this. 

He envies Chanyeol, how the other so easily knows himself and his feelings. He had known from about day two that Kyungsoo would have a special place in his heart and had just accepted it, had made room in his heart for one more without taking away anything from the people already there. Jongin doesn’t know how to do that. He feels like his heart is already full with both Sehun and Chanyeol in it and now Kyungsoo is almost elbowing his way to a spot between the two. Jongin is scared one of them is going to get forced out and he knows that if it is to happen it would be Sehun. Which can’t happen. It simply can’t. 

“You okay? I can walk again if you need me to?” Kyungsoo asks softly in his ear and Jongin realizes how laboured his breathing sounds. He swallows around the lump in his throat, jumping a little to hoist Kyungsoo further up his back and relishing the feeling of the smaller tightening his grip on him. 

“I’m fine.” He says even though he’s not. Every second with Kyungsoo on his back both makes it both better and worse and Jongin wishes he had Sehun there to ask what he should do. The younger always had a way of seeing things in the simplest of way and while his advice many times had been stupid, there had always been a grain of truth in them that Jongin had valued highly. 

“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo calls, turning around on Jongin’s back. Jongin turns too, watching Chanyeol jog up to them with a worried expression on his face. “Carry me.” Kyungsoo says, holding out one arm as if ready to climb up on Chanyeol’s back already. 

“It’s fine, I’m not tired.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo turns back towards him with a look that says just how much he knows Jongin is lying. Jongin finds a smile growing on his face despite the annoyance he wants to feel. 

It takes a little bit of acrobatics to pass the backpacks over to Jongin and Kyungsoo over to Chanyeol and the smaller almost falls off once when Jongin steps away from Chanyeol faster than Kyungsoo was ready for. Chanyeol manages to save it by bending over forwards and having Kyungsoo sprawl out on top of his back, his arms and legs completely in the wrong place for a piggy back ride. 

They end up laughing so hard Jongin have to sit down before Kyungsoo ends up with his legs on either side of Chanyeol’s waist and his arms around the tallers shoulders. Kyungsoo is giggling harder than Jongin’s ever heard him, his head thrown back as he laughs and Chanyeol is barking out laughs louder than is probably advisable in the outdoors but Jongin can’t find it within himself to care. His heart swells so much at the sight that he feels like he will almost fly away and if it could just stay this big he’s sure both Kyungsoo, Chanyeol and Sehun would have more than enough room within him. 

Once they’ve calmed down they continue on their trek, the City hall highrise sometimes peaking out between the other buildings. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol are quietly chatting, mostly just Chanyeol talking and Kyungsoo once in awhile offering a comment on whatever topic the conversation happens to be on at the moment. Jongin is content with just listening to the two of them. His eyes scan their surroundings while they walk, taking in the ruined buildings and the raided storefronts. 

The closer they get to the City hall the more searched through their surroundings get. It’s almost to the point where Jongin wonders if they have any mutants here at all. Back home there are many buildings and areas they can’t even go to because they’re too infested with mutants but here there doesn’t seem to be a single building left unexplored. He knows the City hall have more resources than any of the other highrises but it has to be even more than he has previously imagined. How could they otherwise have the firepower to take out the residents in the buildings or the other horrors that hide in the many old convenience stores. 

After walking for ten minutes a building which looks surprisingly intact appears in front of them. The windows are still in place and the front door is cracked open an inch or two, almost inviting. It contrasts heavily against the buildings next to it. They are barely more than ruins while this one looks like the ones Jongin’s seen in books and postcards from before the first dust cloud. As they get closer Kyungsoo grows eerily quiet, his eyes locked onto the door which almost seem to be creaking open further the longer Jongin watches. 

“Can you hear that?” Kyungsoo whispers, pulling a little at Chanyeol’s shoulders as if he wants the taller to move even further from the building. They’re almost by the sidewalk on the opposite side already and no matter how empty a building seems it’s too dangerous to walk closer to them. Jongin shivers. 

They have almost reached the building by now and Jongin hunches his shoulders up, a coldness creeping over him. He looks up into the sky, seeing the sun still shining brightly and knowing that the coldness of night shouldn’t come for another few hours. He blinks, grasping his gun tighter and debating on wether or not he should raise it but feeling stupid in the next moment. It’s just a building, what is he supposed to aim towards? The windows? The open door? No, he’s just being silly. 

“Hear what?” Chanyeol asks, the words sounding as if they have to be forced out. Jongin glances over at their pair for a short moment before looking back at the building, not feeling comfortable leaving it out of his sight for more than a second. 

“The singing.” Kyungsoo answers. Jongin feels another shiver run over them. They’re level with the building now and it’s almost as if a shadow have fallen over them, their surroundings seeming darker and the cold starting to creep into his bones. He actually does raise his gun now, aiming it towards the door which is definitely more open now than when they first saw it. He listens carefully, trying to hear the singing Kyungsoo speaks about. The only things his ears pick up on is the crouch of the sand under their boots and his own heavy breathing. Focusing harder he tries to listen past that and hear if there is anything hiding among them, waiting to pounce as they look the other way. 

Quietly a voice makes itself known to him, first too distant for Jongin to make out much more than the fact that it is there but slowly he starts to hear what it’s saying. It’s not like it’s actually talking, more like a thought that is not his own appearing in the back of his head. It wonders if maybe it’s warmer inside the house. It is pretty cold out here after all and now that the voice points it out he is getting pretty tired. His feet ache and the two backpacks he has to carry weigh heavily on his shoulders. A break would be nice. And the house is still in good condition. Nothing would be able to sneak up on them there and they could keep good watch of the street from the top floors. 

It is a pretty good idea after all. A proper rest would do them all good and they would reach the City hall with no problems tomorrow. They would probably be able to sleep on proper bed rolls in there. The voice tells him that in a house like that everything is still intact from the time before the dust cloud. Who knows what treasures they can find inside. Maybe even food, or rice. Jongin hasn’t had rice in years but he knows that every house used to have kilos of it before. They could have a nice meal, proper rest and maybe even a wash. The water pipes still work inside the house, he knows so. 

A hand grasps his arm hard enough to hurt and Jongin tears his eyes from the building, looking over at Kyungsoo who’s staring at him with wide eyes behind his sunglasses. He blinks, feeling like he’s just woken up from a deep sleep and when he looks around he realizes he’s been walking closer to the building. The door is now wide open and as Jongin looks into the darkness beyond he can feel the same haze start to grip him again. 

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo barks and Jongin whips his head around again, allowing himself to be dragged away from the open door and promises of a full belly. With every step he takes he can feel the voice inside him quiet down until he’s not even sure it was there to begin with. The sun slowly heats up his cold bones and the shadow the building seemed to cast over them brightens. 

“You okay?” Chanyeol asks once they’ve put enough distance between themselves and the building to feel safe once more. Jongin nods quietly, casting a look behind himself only to see that the door is now closed. He shivers, tearing his eyes away. 

“I heard it.” He says, looking up at Kyungsoo before licking his lips. “The singing. I think I heard it.” 

“No you didn’t.” Kyungsoo says, still holding on to his arm. Jongin doesn’t ask him to let go. “You heard the calling.” The smaller explains and Jongin nods hesitantly. It had been more of a call than anything, that voice beckoning him into the house. He casts another quick glance behind himself, the house now almost out of sight, and his stomach twists uncomfortably. What would have happened if he had been alone, if no one would have stopped him from walking into the open maw of the house. 

“What was it?” He asks, swallowing heavily. His throat suddenly feels dry and he grabs his water bottle for a drink. 

“Not good.” Kyungsoo answers and Jongin’s guts twists further inside him. “We have it in the metro too. Some tunnels...there are things inside them. Not always, only sometimes when you’re unlucky. They call you and take you away.” His voice is barely above a whisper but it’s all Jongin can hear. Next to him Chanyeol is uncharacteristically quiet, his hands holding onto Kyungsoo’s thighs almost as hard as Kyungsoo is still gripping Jongin’s arm. 

“Why did you call it singing?” Chanyeol finally asks after a long moment, his voice hoarse. Jongin offers him some water and the older sends him a thankful smile, seeming almost as shaken by the whole experience as Jongin is. 

“The singing is different from the calling.” Kyungsoo begins, letting go of Jongin’s arm in favor of taking the bottle after Chanyeol. Jongin almost misses the contact, fearing the haze will overcome him again without it. “Anyone can hear the calling. Some people easier than others. The singing, that only a few people can hear. When you’ve walked the tunnels for years, or when you’ve been exposed to what is...” Kyungsoo pauses, seeming to search for the right words. “...what _is_ inside the tunnels you can sometimes hear it. If you’re with someone who can hear the song of the tunnel you’re safe. They know when and where to walk to make sure you get where you’re going.” 

“Can you hear it?” Jongin asks. 

“Yes.” He answers, his arms tightening around Chanyeol’s shoulders. “I heard it by the Han river too...” He adds and Jongin wishes he hadn’t. He’d much rather never have it confirmed that there is something hiding in the black waters, something worse than mutants or even Passengers. 

“Tell us if you hear it again.” Chanyeol orders and Kyungsoo nods, hiding his face in Chanyeol’s neck. Jongin nods too, taking a step closer to the two even if he is already walking practically on top of them. There is still some coldness lingering in his core despite the sun being warm enough to make him sweat. 

The rest of the walk is made in silence, not even Chanyeol perking up enough to raise a conversation. The City hall comes into view as the sun begins to set. Jongin has seen pictures of it before and knows of the amazing structure it is but still can’t help but gasp as it comes into view. The highrise stretches even further into the air than Yeouido and in front of it is an amazing glass structure arching towards them like a wave. In front of the whole complex is a large field full of growth and people tending to it, an iron face surrounding it all and guards in old police uniforms keeping n constant watch over everything. 

It’s like nothing he’s ever seen before and Jongin finds himself struggling to comprehend that one highrise can need that much food, need so many water trees. He speeds up his steps, wanting to take a closer look, and hears Chanyeol do the same next to him. The glass building seems to almost glow in the sunlight, it’s orange glow reflected back and bathing the workers in front of it in its light. 

The people look different too, wearing different kind of clothes and hats. On Yeouido there is a standard issue outdoor uniform everyone receives once they are old enough to start working the farm. It consists of a light coloured polo shirt that protects your neck from the sunlight, a pair of sturdy work pants in a light colour and heavy boots. A cap, sunglasses and face mask is optional but something most people have anyway. Chanyeol almost never wears his cap and Jongin had to get used to the face mask since they hadn’t had those on Yongwang. Here people have shirts and pants in all kind of colours and an extra protective shirt over it all, keeping their clothes from going dirty while they work. Most people wear a cone-ish hat that is wide enough to shield the sun from both their neck, eyes and ears. They look paler than the people back at home too despite clearly being used to work outdoors and Jongin wonders if maybe they have people here from the metro too. 

“Stop!” One of the guard bark at the once they come close enough and they obediently stop, not wanting to cause trouble and risk not being let in. “Passports please.” He says and Jongin nods, shrugging off the backpacks he’s been carrying while Chanyeol lets Kyungsoo down on the ground. Jongin pulls out a small id card with his photo on it, it’s fraying a little at the sides despite how well protected he keeps it. Chanyeol’s passport is a small book with two pages in it, one with his picture and the other with his information. The passports differ depending on which highrise you’re from and usually that doesn’t cause any problem. Most highrises doesn’t even ask to see them. Jongin hopes they will be okay here too. 

Chanyeol is the first one to show his, smiling hesitantly at the guard who looks it over before handing it back and gesturing to him to move inside. Jongin is next and the guard does the same with him. Kyungsoo follows last, limping forwards and holding out a thick book. The guard frowns as he looks it through, flipping through the many pages without much care. 

“This isn’t valid.” He says and hands it back and Kyungsoo’s eyes widen in surprise. “We can’t let you enter.”

“But, he’s with us!” Chanyeol says, taking a step forwards towards the guard. The guard sends him a glare and Chanyeol stops. 

“This isn’t issued by any highrise.” He says, pointing at the book in Kyungsoo’s hands. “We can’t let unregistered people into the City hall.” 

“I’m from the metro.” Kyungsoo says and the guard actually looks surprised for a moment, opening his mouth in search for words. 

“What?” He settles for and Kyungsoo hold his passport out once more, open to the first page where Kyungsoo’s photo is on display along with line after line of text. 

“I’m from Sinmokdong station, here. It’s issued and approved of the Terminal, here.” Kyungsoo explains, pointing at different stamps on his front page. He flips through a few pages and points out a few more stamps as the guard looks on with wide eyes. 

“Uuuum...” He says, looking unsure of himself and Chanyeol quickly steps up next to Kyungsoo. 

“We haven’t had time to register him with the highrise yet. We’re here very urgently you see. I’m sure you know of the information that came through from Yeouido last week.” Chanyeol says, laying a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder and looking at the guard with a raised eyebrow. He’s taller than the guard by an inch or two and the extra height has the guard almost shying back, his previous stern face now one of uncertainly. He looks young and Jongin realizes he can’t be much older than himself. 

“I need to check with my chief.” The guard says, taking Kyungsoo’s passport and Chanyeol holds out his too. The guard takes it after a moment of hesitation and walks over to where an older woman is standing with a police hat on her head instead of the caps the other guards wear. 

They speak in hushed voices for a long time, gesturing towards their little group and the passports. Eventually they seem to settle for something and the pair walks over to them, the woman now holding the passports. 

“I’m sure you both know we can’t let unregistered people into the City hall.” She begins and Jongin opens his mouth to protest but Chanyeol holds up a hand. “However, since Kyungsoo here clearly has his papers in order we’ve decided to make an exception. He may pass with a temporary residence permit.”

Chanyeol nods and thanks her. Kyungsoo bows deeply next to him and Jongin has the urge to do the same despite never having bowed to anyone before. She has an aura around her that demands respect. 

“Follow officer Jung here please.” She says and gestures towards the guard who first greeted them. They thank her once more and take their passports, following the guard through the gates and past the many farms towards a small building. In there Kyungsoo has to stamp his thumbprint on a small card and sign it before Chanyeol have to hand out 20 pins for the official stamp. With the small card securely held within his passport Kyungsoo is finally granted access to the highrise and the group is escorted inside. 

The inside of the glass building is just as magnificent as the outside. The sunlight filters in through the many windows painted with an opaque black layer to keep the harshest of the light out. Along the walls green wines climb up towards the ceiling and when Jongin looks carefully he can see small fruit grow long them. All around them are people rushing past and not spending a second to spare for the wonderful interior. Jongin moves closer to Chanyeol, not wanting to be swept away by the crowd. 

“We should find the guest rooms.” Jongin suggest, having to raise his voice to be heard over the chatter of people. Chanyeol nods in agreement, looking around to try and spot any clues as to where to go. Usually when you enter a new highrise people are quick to point out the way for you but here no one even seems to spare them a second look. 

“There.” Kyungsoo grumbles, pointing towards a painting on one of the walls. Jongin frowns, trying to make out one of the many small sentences written on the painting. The trio moves closer, struggling a little to pass through the stream of people around them, and the painting comes into view.

It turns out to be a map detailing the two floors of their current building. The residence quarters fill most of the top floor and the bottom floor is filled mostly with shops selling everything from food, shoes, bags, clothes and outwear, furniture and even books. At the opposite end of the building compared to their own is a section named ‘hotel’ and Jongin barely recognizes the old word. 

They head off, Chanyeol walking in front and parting the mass of people and Jongin and Kyungsoo following close behind. Once they’ve reached about half way the mass of people walking against them seem to grow thicker, making it close to impossible to pass. The murmur of voices build around them, people suddenly pointing towards something behind them with excited exclamations. 

 

“They’re back! The scouts, they’re back!” 

Chanyeol stops, turning towards the commotion and Jongin follows, stretching his neck to see what is going on. At the entrance a group of five people are slowly walking forwards, heavy guns resting on their shoulders and faces hidden behind masks and thick goggles. They seem important from the way people part for them to make way and shout for their attention. At the front the tallest of them raises their hand and waves at the crowd which scream, waving back and trying to catch the attention of the scout. 

As they move towards a pair of stairs guarded by more people in police uniforms the crowd closes behind them, keeping a tight but respectful ring of space around them. Jongin raises up on his tip toes, wanting to see more of these mysterious scouts being treated like celebrities. They don’t spare the crowd a second glance outside of their wave, their heavy boots stomping up the stairs which is quickly blocked off by the guards as the last one have passed.. The people press against the guards, excited voices being exchanged for demanding ones. Jongin can make out that they want to know what has happened, what the scouts found and that they deserve an answer. 

“What the fuck is going on!” Kyungsoo growls, pulling at Jongin shoulder and trying to look over the crowd of people around them. Jongin wraps his arm around the shorters waist, trying to help lift him higher so he can catch sigh of the scouts before they disappear over the top of the stairs. He points and Kyungsoo squints towards the last scout, watching a heavy backpack disappears further into the building. The crowd grows even more unruly, starting to push past Jongin and he tightens his grip on Kyungsoo, afraid that the other won’t be able to hold back against the flow of people with his injured foot. 

“Let’s go.” Chanyeol says, grabbing Jongin’s free hand and pulling him along. It’s a struggle for the first few meters, people pushing and shoving without much regard to try and get closer to the stairs. Jongin can hear the guards shout at the crowd to calm down and that answers will come but the voice is almost instantly drowned out over the calls of the crowd. 

Suddenly they bottom floor opens up for them, almost empty of people and when Jongin looks back he can see there is a wall of moving bodies where the crowd begins. He can’t help but comparing them to the writing centipedes, moving towards a goal without any idea what they will find there. 

Chanyeol tugs on his arm again and Jongin turns his eyes back forward, locking them on the back of the taller as they move towards the hotel. It’s a much quicker walk now that they don’t have anyone in their path and as a painted sign with the words ‘City Hotel - vacant’ comes into view Chanyeol relaxes enough to let go of Jongin’s hand. Jongin still keeps his arm around Kyungsoo though, the other giving no signs that he doesn’t want the extra support. 

They reach the door separating the guest rooms from the rest of the building and step inside. Inside is a long corridor lined with doors with numbers on them and blocking the corridor from access is a small desk, currently occupied by a young girl staring at the wall with a bored look. 

“Uh-” Chanyeol starts but a loud click stops him and the girl suddenly perks up, looking up towards a speaker just above the door. 

“This is an official announcement by the Highrise of Seoul City hall.” A female voice says, loud enough to fill the entire room. Jongin can hear echoes of the same words from outside the hotel. “Our scouting troop have return successful from their investigative mission to find out where the Passengers originate from. A council meeting will be held on the second floor of the southern highrise tomorrow at 8 AM where more information will be revealed. All citizens and visitors are welcomed to attend. The City hall thanks you for your attention.” 

The voice quietens and another loud click echoes around the room. Kyungsoo is tense in his arm and Jongin can barely imagine what must be going through the shorter’s mind right now. Jongin can barely comprehend the fact that they have found out where the Passengers are from and judging from the way Chanyeol is looking at him he seem to be struggling with the same. 

So far all they know is that Sinmokdong seems to be the origin to the mutants, and that when the metro had found out about it they had decided to blow it up. Now another council had possibly found out the same, which lead to two possibilities: Sinmokdong might still be up and running and another attempt at blocking it off from the world would surely be made. 

One thing is clear. They have to attend the meeting tomorrow.


	13. Chapter 13 - Kyungsoo

Another person pushes into his side and Kyungsoo moves to the left, unintentionally bumping into a second stranger. He quickly bows a little in apology and shuffles forwards to try and create enough space between himself and everyone else around him. 

The three of them along with what has to be everyone else in the highrise are pressed together on the second floor of the south building. The south building it turns out is the highrise rising up behind the glass building, reaching further into the sky than Kyungsoo had imagined could be possible. The second floor had seemed large when they first got there but as more and more people had started turning up it had become apparent that it isn’t large enough. Hidden behind the many heads and shoulders around him Kyungsoo knows there is a podium at the very back of the room sectioned off from the rest by guards. They had originally stood pretty close to the podium but after being shoved around as much as they had been he is no longer sure exactly where they are. 

Chanyeol and Jongin are standing next to him, not seeming bothered by the many people pushing and shoving around them, their heads trained to a point above the crowd and Kyungsoo assumes the podium has to be there. He tries to move closer but is kept back by a man making his way between him and Chanyeol. His legs throbs as he has to step down heavily on it and he curses the people around them. Freakish tall people having no respect for not tall people. 

Suddenly the pushing gets even worse, Kyungsoo stumbling and almost falling as people push on him from behind. He reaches out, trying to grab hold of Chanyeol’s hand before he’s swept away and the taller luckily notices him. A large hand grabs hold of his shoulder and pulls him to the side until his back is pressed against Chanyeol’s chest, the taller’s arms nonchalantly wrapped around his shoulders but Kyungsoo knows that they’re ready to hold him in place if need be. He leans further into Chanyeol’s chest, taking the weight of off his bad leg and looking around at the people shoving their way forward around them. Chanyeol is unmoving as a rock, Jongin the same next to them and Kyungsoo feels himself relax slightly, knowing he’s safe here. 

“Citizens and visitors.” A voice fills the room and Kyungsoo looks up, trying to spot the podium where the speaky must be standing. All he sees are the heads of everyone in front of him. “We thank you for coming to this council meeting. We now welcome Lim Yuna, representative of the scouts and spokesperson for today.” 

The crows explodes into cheers and Kyungsoo can’t help but compare this council meeting with the one he experienced back at Yeouido. Here people are acting as if they’ve spotted a god among them, screaming and pushing to get closer. It’s nothing like the council meeting with Junmyeon, Minseok and Nana where everyone had been calm and collected and no one spoke out of place. 

“Please quiet down.” A new voice says, female this time. The crowd immediately does as they’re told and Kyungsoo gets the impression that whoever Lim Yuna is, she’s not someone to cross. “Thank you all for coming here. Me and my fellow council members are glad to announce that our most recent exploration was successful.” She starts, her voice monotone and emotionless. The crowd cheers again but are quickly silenced by another word from the scout. 

“Last week we received a tip from Yeouido highrise that they had suspicion to believe that the Passengers originated from a specific metro station in their area. They asked for help to investigate the threat and a scout troupe of eight of our most skilled scouts set out to investigate the claim. The Passengers, all you all know, are horrific mutants threatening not only ours but all the highrises over Seoul. Any attempt at stopping them have been unsuccessful.” She paused, drawing a deep breath before continuing.. 

“With this new tip we hoped to not only find out where the Passengers originated from but also how to stop them. The tip spoke of a specific metro station where they seemed to be coming from so our first stop on our mission was Sin-mok-dong station.” She continues and Kyungsoo turns his eyes away from the voice and looks up at Jongin next to him. He’s looking as bored as Kyungsoo feels, wanting her to get to the point of what they found and what they’re going to do about it instead of detailing every single step of their trip. 

“Jongin-ah.” He says, reaching out and pulling at the younger’s arm. Jongin looks down at him with large eyes, seeming shocked by the interaction and Kyungsoo can’t hold back a smile. “Why do you call them Passengers?” He asks, tuning out the sound of Lim Yuna listing everything they brought with them on the exploration. 

“Um...” Jongin starts, sucking on his lip for a moment before looking over at Chanyeol who seems completely engrossed in the recounting of the scouting mission. “Well the first time people spotted them there was two of them standing outside a ticket booth. Like, one after the other as if they were in line, and I guess it kinda looked like they were passengers waiting in line to buy their tickets you know.” Jongin says with a shrug and Kyungsoo nods. “I guess the name stuck. It makes it less scary to talk about them if they’re just Passengers and not...horrible mutant monsters you know.” 

Kyungsoo nods again, letting the subject go when it’s clear that the younger isn’t too keen on explaining more. The origin of the name is rather similar to how the same creatures got their name in the metro. The Conductors, as they are called, got their name from the way they are almost always found near abandoned trains in the metro. Since he’s from Sinmokdong, being one of the few stations faced with the threat, Kyungsoo actually knows exactly how well the name fits them. They guard the trains as if it is their most treasured possession and will drag anyone who dares to come close into the train. The name had spread across the metro once more small stations started facing the same threat but the origin of the name is mostly unknown. 

The way it’s so widespread here on the surface makes Kyungsoo wonder if maybe the problem is larger than he had first anticipated. He almost turns to ask Jongin but holds it back as he sees the frown on the other’s face, the younger clearly bothered just by hearing about the Conductors from Lim Yuna’s retelling. 

He turns his attention back towards the speaker and listens as she recounts the trek back home, still having revealed nothing about what they actually found out and what they intend to do about it. Kyungsoo is starting to suspect that this all will turn out to be a bragging session for the scouts to flaunt their survival skills and make sure the citizens continue to see the council in a good light. The Terminal back at home in the metro tends to do the same. Their scouting missions take place at night and after every one there is a speech over how successful they were and how it is all thanks to the station management. 

“Now, moving on to our findings.” Lim Yuna finally says and Kyungsoo perks up, straightening his back to try and get a better view. Once more all he can see are the heads and shoulders of people in front of him. “During our exploration we scouted out at many metro entrances after spotting a Passenger exit the Sin-mok-dong station. Our suspicion was that they come from inside the metro and once we spotted two more exit and enter at two separate stations we have concluded that the Passengers indeed originate from within the metro.” She says and the crowd breaks out into a loud cheer. 

Kyungsoo feels his stomach twist. The Conductors, the monsters, are coming from within the metro, possibly even from his home station. He has held onto the foolish hope that his station management and the Terminal had been wrong when they had said that the Conductors came from inside the metro. He thought that maybe they could be coming from the surface, crawling down into the metro and then making their nests in abandoned trains. 

“These findings gave us one clear but lone solution to our problem.” Lim Yuna continues and Kyungsoo draws in a deep breath, holding it as he waits for the verdict. “The council have decided that over the next weeks scouts will set out to all known metro stations and blow up the entrances, trapping the passengers inside the hell they came from!” She ends, her voice suddenly burning with determination. 

The cheers of the crowd around them increase, loud enough to be almost deafening and Kyungsoo struggles to breathe. His knees feel weak and his hands are shaking, making all of him tremble as the sound of the crowd shouting their approval presses down on him. He can’t let that happen. Everyone, every single person he has ever known and met will die and it will be all his fault for giving out the secret his home station had entrusted him with delivering. He set out to save his home and ended up dooming the whole metro in the process. He can’t breathe. He can’t let this happen. 

“NO!” He shouts, pressing forwards toward the podium where Lim Yuna is listing the order in which the station will be destroyed, Sinmokdong being the first one. “People live there! You can’t!” He elbows the person in front of him in the side, making them move aside and wrestles his way forwards. 

“People live there! I live in the metro! It’s my home!” He continues, his voice cracking as he tries to make himself heard over the cheers of the public. His words drown almost the moment they’ve left his mouth and Kyungsoo raises his voice, his throat hurting from how loud he’s screaming. “IT’S MY HOME! YOU CAN’T! He stumbles, falling to his knees and the crowd closes around him, feet stomping down inches away from him. “PLEASE!” He draws another breath, grabbing a coat to try and pull himself up but his fingers are too weak, his hands shaking too much to control. 

Someone grabs his shoulder, another hand grabbing his trembling fingers and helping him stand up. Arms wrap around his chest and Kyungsoo recognizes the familiar feeling of Jongin’s chest encasing him in a protective cage.

“People live in the metro!” Jongin calls, moving forwards and pushing through the mass of people. In front of them Chanyeol is doing the same, screaming about how blowing the entrances up would murder thousands. Kyungsoo draws a shuddering breath and joins in, the three of them wrestling their way forwards to the podium. 

Around them people slowly grow quiet, turning their eyes towards the trio as they take in their message. Gradually the cheers get replaced by protests, people hearing what they’re calling and joining in. The sea of people open up in front of them and for the first time Kyungsoo catches sight of Lim Yuna at the podium. She’s short and stocky, her sunbleached light brown hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and her eyes hidden under heavy eyebrows. She looks worn, her skin rough and her gaze deeper than what her age would suggest. Kyungsoo recognizes the gaze from the tunnel dwellers in the metro, having wandered for longer than they should and seen more than they ever wanted. 

He gets pushed forwards by the crowd, removed from the safety of Jongin’s chest and suddenly pulled up on the small stage the podium rests on. The crowd grows quiet and Kyungsoo turns around, trying to catch sight of Chanyeol and Jongin among the many head in front of him. 

“HE’S FROM THE METRO!” Chanyeol’s voice suddenly calls out and Kyungsoo spots his long arms pointing at him a few meters into the crowd. “PEOPLE LIVE IN THE METRO! TELL THEM KYUNGSOO!” 

He looks over at Lim Yuna and she looks back at him, her eyes locked with his for a long moment before she takes a step back, apparently pleased with what she saw. Kyungsoo draws a deep breath, trying to think of what to say. 

“I’m from the metro.” He begins, his voice cracking and he takes a deep breath to try and calm his racing heart down. “My home is Sinmokdong station and I’m here on the surface by accident. We in the metro don’t know about you up here as little as you know about us. I’m the one who brought the information about Cond-...Passengers possibly coming from the metro. They’re as big of a threat to us as they are to you. They attack our stations and as we speak I fear they have already slaughtered my entire home station.” He draws a heavy breath, having to stop and calm himself down before continuing. “I don’t ask for much. Just that we please give my people in the metro a chance. There has to be another way to stop the Passengers without murdering everyone living in the metro. ” He finishes, taking a step back and looking over at Lim Yuna. Her face remain an emotionless mask. 

The crowd explodes with noise once more, screaming an unidentifiable mess of words. Kyungsoo looks down on his feet, his guts twisting in worry and his chest struggling to draw in air. The noise level rises even further as Kyungsoo hear someone approach from behind and Lim Yuna suddenly pulls him back to stand behind her. 

A group of five people walk up towards the podium, dressed in suits in surprisingly good condition and stern expressions. The crowd grows ever wilder and Kyungsoo can make out some of the words being chanted. Some of them scream for justice, wanting to know how the council can possibly do that to people while other’s scream for destruction, arguing that they can’t let the Passengers roam for longer than they’ve already had just because someone suddenly said the metro hosts people. They hurl insults at him, calling him monster and screaming at him to return to the metro if he loves it so much. 

“People.” The leader of the small newly arrived group says into the mic by the podium. His voice is quiet but the moment the word falls from his lips the room grows quiet. “In light of this new information a council meeting will be held. Further information will be presented when we deem it right. Thank you.” He says and turns back around. The small envoy of five retreat, making their way back to the door hidden behind the largest guards Kyungsoo’s ever seen. 

“Come.” Lim Yuna orders, grabbing his elbow and pulling him along. Kyungsoo stumbles, turning back towards the crowd which have begun screaming again and trying to spot Jongin and Chanyeol. 

“My friends.” He protests and the scout stops, turning back towards the crowd with dead eyes. 

“Where?” She asks and Kyungsoo raises his hand, trying to pick out Jongin and Chanyeol among the ocean of people. He can hear his voice being called and his eyes zeroes in on Chanyeol’s tall frame waving at him and Jongin right behind, looking uncomfortable as he’s squashed by the rioting crowd. 

“Those two.” He says, pointing them out and Lim Yuna nods, sending a look towards a guard before turning back around and pulling him along, not giving him a chance to see what happens with Chanyeol and Jongin. 

They pass the large guards by the door and he’s pushed into a long corridor, the scout still keeping an iron grip on his elbow. Doors line the corridor, some of them protected by more guards and others left alone. The envoy of five walk in front of him, none of them talking. Kyungsoo hears Jongin’s voice protest to a guard about the rough treatment but keeps his eyes forward, the grip on his elbow strong enough for him to know he better follow. 

Finally they reach a door almost at the end of the corridor and one of the suited men opens the door, revealing a room with a large circular table inside. There are more people waiting inside, men and women dressed in formal clothes and the tall scout from yesterday still dressed in her scouting clothes. 

The grip on his elbow disappears and the people slowly take their place by the table, looking up at him expectantly. The door closes behind him and a moment later Kyungsoo feels Chanyeol’s fingers ghost along his elbow. He quickly shakes them off and takes a step forward. 

This is his moment, his chance to save the life of everyone living in the metro. He can’t afford to look weak, no matter how much he’d rather just take a step back and let Jongin and Chanyeol handle this discussion. The fate of his home rests on his shoulders and he’s going to carry it with pride. 

“I will not stand idly aside while you kill everyone in my home.” He says, his voice loud in the empty room. The expectant faces only blink at him, no one revealing anything about what they might be thinking. Kyungsoo holds their gaze, refusing to back down. He can practically feel the fidgety energy pouring off of Jongin behind him but ignores it, along with the nervous chuckles coming from Chanyeol. 

The silence stretches out between them, none of the council member saying a word and Kyungsoo refusing to do the same. He has made his point, the ball is in their court. Continuing to speak would only be seen as a sign of nervousness and uncertainty. 

The tall scout in the corner tuts, pushing off from the wall she had been leaning against and taking a few steps forward. He face is one of pure annoyance, her mouth half open and her eyebrows raised high. 

“Are we really trusting this shrimp?” She asks, gesturing towards Kyungsoo. “I mean he doesn’t even have proof. People are _dying_ here! We can’t ignore all of that just because some 12 year old makes believe that he’s from the metro!” She spits, advancing in on Kyungsoo. He meets her gaze, refusing to be intimidated by her despite his heart pounding up a storm in his chest. Her words get a reaction from the council members, a few of them leaning over to quietly whisper to their seat neighbour. 

Kyungsoo draws a sharp breath, deciding to act before her words can take hold. With quick steps he walks towards the table, his hand reaching for his passport hidden in a sewn in pocket in his shirt and slamming it down on the table. The people closest to him jump, their attention back on him. 

“I believe this will be all the proof you need.” He says, pushing his passport forwards to emphasise his point. He sends the tall scout a look before backing away from the table and returning to his previous position. The council member closest to is passport picks it up and looks it over, pointing out some of the information to the person next to them before passing the document along. 

“You had your passport with you?” Chanyeol asks and Kyungsoo answers with a curt nod. One can not afford to not be too careful and his habit of carrying his ID on him at all times in the metro has saved him more times than he cares to count. Also, if there is anything more dangerous than being caught without papers in the metro, it’s leaving them where anyone can take them. He doesn’t care if Chanyeol says their room is safe since he has the key. A lock keeps out only the pettiest of thieves. 

“Now that we have established that I’m not lying.” Kyungsoo says. The passport has only passed through half of the council members’ hands so far but if anyone doubts its authenticity they should have spoken up by now. “I want to address what will happen to the metro.”

“We’re going to blow it up.” The tall scout says but Kyungsoo ignores her, as does the rest of the council members. 

Finally the passport is left alone on the table and everyone’s eyes are once again turned towards kyungsoo who clasps his hands behind his back to hide the tremble running through them. 

“No matter what, our primary goal will always be our people’s safety.” One of the council members starts, the same one who had addressed the crowd. Once more his voice is quiet but Kyungsoo can hear him as clearly as if he were shouting. “However, sticking to our original plan would create a lot of displeasure amongst our residents. Displeasure with can potentially grow into something larger. Because of this, we’re open to suggestions.” He finishes and Kyungsoo draws in a shaking breath, his whole frame trembling with rage. 

No one cares about the metro, no one cares that they are planning to _murder_ tens of thousands of people. He blinks, feeling his eyes begin to sting from angry tears and swallows, pushing down his emotions. He can’t afford to lose face, if he does he’ll be seen as irrational no matter what he suggest. He opens his mouth to speak but quickly closes it again when he notices how shaky each breath he’s taking is. 

“They could live up with us.” Jongin speaks out behind him and suddenly the eyes leave Kyungsoo. He doesn’t turn around, afraid that if he moves a muscle the fragile mask of composure he’s wearing will shatter. 

“Yeah!” Chanyeol chimes in, taking a step forward until he’s next to Kyungsoo. “We could provide the metro refugee, allow them live in the highrise closes to their station.” He suggests and Kyungsoo quickly nods, grateful that Jongin and Chanyeol knows him well enough to know this is what he wants. The metro might be his home but that doesn’t stop it from being a prison of darkness and danger. Up here people can learn to live and not just survive. 

“And how could we possibly host that many people? And not to talk about feeding them all?” Another council member speaks up and the rest of the council nods in agreement with her. 

“There is plenty of space in the highrises outside of City hall.” Chanyeol replies without missing a beat. “Most of the livable floors remain unused and there are places like at Yeouido where a twin building stands next to the highrise. It can be made livable without much effort. As for food the people in the metro can sustain themselves, they can step right in and take over all the extra work created. They even have animals in the metro that we all know we need up here.” 

“That doesn’t help with the fact that there is not enough space in the highrises to grow all the food they would need.” The council protests. 

“The people in the metro grow all their food without sunlight, we wouldn’t need more space in the open. Some of the lower floors in each highrise could be used as a plantation.” Chanyeol argues back. The council nods slowly but doesn’t say anything. Once it’s clear Chanyeol won’t add any new information they turn to face each other, a quiet murmur starting up as they discuss the information relayed to them. 

Once again Chanyeol’s fingers try to sneak themselves around his elbow and Kyungsoo pulls it away with a harsh movement. He doesn't want to be touched, not when he’s still this angry. He can’t dare to appear weak yet. He has to make right what he has done wrong. 

Finally, after many minutes spent in silent waiting, the council grows quiet and turns to face them once more. 

“The council has made a decision.” The man in the suit from earlier says, his voice once again quiet. “Tomorrow you, Kyungsoo, along with a representative of the highrises will set out to the metro and deliver an invitation to a negotiation of how to proceed to your highest electives. During this negotiation it will be determined how and what aid will be extended to the people of the metro” He declares. 

“There is nothing up for debate! My people are moving here!” Kyungsoo says before he can stop himself. The man merely raises a hand to silence him. 

“Please tell me, Kyungsoo, where is the center for the metro and how long would you estimate the trip to take.” He inquires but his voice holds the strength of an order. Kyungsoo swallows, wetting his lips. 

“The Terminal. It would take between 3 to 5 days to reach it but I will not return to my home without anything less than-” He starts but the man quickly interrupts him. 

“The Terminal? I have never heard of such a metro station.” He says softly, as if speaking to a child. 

“It was originally called the Express bus terminal.” Kyungsoo grits out between clenched teeth. “It connects the brown, green and orange line. It is on the other side of the Han river.” He explains. 

“Thank you. The representative will meet you by the exit to the plantation tomorrow morning at eight. Your friends are free to follow along if you wish. If we have not heard a reply from you within two weeks we will assume our invitation declined and our original plans will be resumed.” He says, waving a hand at them as he turns back towards the council members. 

Behind him the sound of the door opening is heard and the guards inside the room move towards them as if to escort them back out. Kyungsoo blinks, his pulse thundering in his ears as he tries to make sense of what he had just been told. 

“No! No you can’t be serious!” He speaks up, making some of the council members look back up at him. “We’re talking about real people here. You can’t leave us in there to die! You’re no better than fucking mutants yourself!” He sweeps an arm out in front of him, gesturing to the council. The moment the words have left his mouth he knows he’s crossed the line. He lowers his arm slowly, his chest heaving with shallow breaths. He can’t find it within himself to regret his actions though. “You’re all monsters.” He bits out, figuring that once he’s already crossed the line he might as well go all the way. 

The suit clad man slowly rises, grabbing his passport and making his way towards Kyungsoo with slow steps. He stops in front of the shorter, looking down at him with uninterested eyes . 

“Kyungsoo, your protests have been duly noted. Now, let me tell you this in return.” He roughly pushes the passport against Kyungsoo’s chest, making the other stumble at the sudden impact. “We are running a society here, not a charity. If your precious metro wants to survive it better be ready to pay the price. The only purpose you play in this whole thing is escort for our representative. If you had not been one of the wretched creatures from the metro yourself, you would not have lived long past entering this room.” He says in the same calm voice as always. Kyungsoo nods, not meeting the other’s eyes. He slowly takes hold of the passport pressed against his chest and the council member turn away from him. 

“Eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Don’t forget Kyungsoo.” He calls after them as they’re forcefully escorted out of the room by the guards.


	14. Chapter 14 - Chanyeol

The representative is named Kim Go-un. She’s short and lean, her face full of youthful sweetness and her skin almost as pale as Kyungsoo’s. She has silky black hair braided down her back and outdoor gear so clean it looks like it has barely been used. Her attitude is positive and easygoing and Chanyeol ends up disliking her within the first hour of walking. 

He’s not used to disliking people, not without proper reason. That is more of Jongin’s or Kyungsoo’s thing to do but no matter how hard Chanyeol tries to make himself like Go-un he always ends up with the feeling that Go-un is not someone he should be fond of. Jongin seems to have the same idea as himself but Chanyeol puts down as Jongin’s usual hesitance to get to know people. 

Kyungsoo on the other hand seem to be getting along with her pretty well. He listens and joins in with her chatter and even cracks her a smile from time to time. Chanyeol can’t help but think of how long it took Kyungsoo to warm up to him and how Go-un seems more like a long lost friend than a new acquaintance. 

Chanyeol turns his eyes away from the sight of Go-un leaning into Kyungsoo’s personal space as she asks yet another mindless question and he searches the buildings around them for any sign of trouble. He and Jongin has been assigned for watch duty while Go-un and Kyungsoo act as their guides. Well, mostly Kyungsoo guiding and Go-un going along for the ride. 

The are walking on the surface towards the Terminal instead of through the metro like Chanyeol had expected, and hoped. He had been looking forward to finally seeing Kyungsoo in his home habitat but that morning as Kyungsoo had briefed them on the route he had picked out it became clear that going through the tunnels is not something that is going to happen. Kyungsoo had quickly shot down Jongin’ suggestion of maybe it would be faster and when questioned on it only replied that it was more dangerous in the tunnels. 

Instead they would be making their way through the Terminal by heading northeast towards Banpo bridge and upon crossing the Han river steering slightly back towards the west and they would hit upon the Terminal. Kyungsoo explained that there are plenty of scouts coming from the Terminal during night and that getting access to the metro from there should be pretty easy. They expect the trip to take four days and Kyungsoo had even scouted out the highrises they will spend the nights in. Go-un had complimented him on how well prepared he is and Chanyeol had hated to see how the tips of Kyungsoo’s ears had turned red at the praise. 

“Oh my god she’s holding his hand.” Jongin mutters next to him and Chanyeol looks over to the pair in front of them, seeing the representative’s hand curled around Kyungsoo’s. Chanyeol feels his stomach twist uncomfortably, not liking the skinship between the two of them. It’s a foreign feeling for him, the bitterness in which he watches them and the way his guts keep twisting and turning as Go-un’s pearly laugh fills the air around them. 

Usually he is nothing but thrilled to see the people he loves receive even more love but for some reason now he can’t help but feel like it’s wrong. It’s like a nagging voice in his head keeps telling him he needs to protect Kyungsoo from Go-un, which is beyond ridiculous and Kyungsoo would probably punch him if Chanyeol tries to. He feels his lips press into a thin line as he watches Kyungsoo squirm and try to pull his hand free from Go-un’s, muttering something about needing it for his gun. 

“Can she be any subtler.” Jongin remarks as Go-un sweetly apologizes and looks up at Kyungsoo from underneath her lashes. Chanyeol looks over to his boyfriend, seeing how Jongin has his eyes narrowed at the two figures in front of them. His hands are gripping the gun tightly and Chanyeol is sure neither of them are keeping a proper watch on their surroundings. 

“What is she even doing?” He remarks and Jongin scoffs, tearing his eyes away from the couple. Chanyeol can’t help but notice the small pout to Jongin’s lips or how the other’s tone has a slight whine in it whenever he speaks. He doesn’t like it and for some reason he finds himself blaming Go-un for it despite her having done nothing against the two of them. 

“Flirting. Isn’t that obvious?” Jongin answers and Chanyeol frowns, thinking through the way Go-un has been acting since they left the highrise. Yes it is obvious that she has been flirting but that isn’t the strange thing here, what is strange is the way it’s making Chanyeol feel like he needs to drag Kyungsoo away from her. He has seen tons of people flirt with Jongin before and never felt anything like this before. In fact he remembers feeling almost proud whenever someone would shyly smile up at Jongin and try to get his attention. The only times when he hadn’t liked it is when Jongin had shown that he isn’t interested and people still try to flirt with him. But Kyungsoo is laughing back at Go-un and he’s allowing her to touch his shoulder and upper arm from time to time. Chanyeol should be happy, and proud, like he is with Jongin. 

“Yeah, but why is she flirting?” Chanyeol asks and Jongin rolls his eyes so hard he could probably see his brain for a second. 

“Because he keeps flirting back.” Jongin sneers, hefting the strap of his gun higher on his shoulder and redirecting his glare towards the houses on his left side. 

Chanyeol licks his lips, his brow furrowing as he watches Kyungsoo talk about the food in the metro, a happy smile on his lips. His stomach twists again and he almost speeds up his steps to join in with the conversation but stops himself in the last second. For some reason he wants to both interfere and turn around and walk the other way so he doesn’t have to see them. Instead he does what Jongin is doing and directs his gaze to the right. The east side of the park they’re going to circle can be seen in the distance and Chanyeol knows he should keep his focus from now on. A park is one of the most dangerous places one can encounter and it is his and Jongin’s job to make sure nothing happens. However he can’t stop his eyes from flicking back towards Kyungsoo every few seconds. 

“He likes her Chanyeol.That’s why he flirts back.” Jongin says after a moment of silence between the two of them and Chanyeol can’t help but feel a little embarrassed over the fact that his thoughts are so obvious. 

“But he likes us. He kissed you.” Chanyeol protests quietly, looking over at Jongin who sighs deeply. 

“Come on Chanyeol. Did you really think he would chose us over her?” Jongin asks and Chanyeol wants to protest because yes, he really had thought so. Can’t Kyungsoo see how much he means to Jongin and him. He’s barely known Go-un and the two of them have uprooted their lives to help Kyungsoo. They are the one’s who carries him whenever his leg hurts to much and they are the ones who helped him when his eyes were too burned to see through. They had saved his life god damn it! Couldn’t Kyungsoo see that whatever Go-un could offer they had already given him? 

“But he doesn’t know her.” Chanyeol protests weakly but as Kyungsoo sends another shy smile at Go-un, pulling his elbow out of her grasp before asking about the City hall and Chanyeol’s stomach drops. Kyungsoo is acting in a way Chanyeol has never seen him act before and he can’t help but think that maybe Jongin is right. Maybe this is the way Kyungsoo acts when he likes people. After all Go-un is really pretty. She looks so pure, her skin almost untouched by the sun’s rays and her hair not dried and bleached after hours spent in the plantations. She looks like she’s from another age, from before the bombs fell. 

He sighs, tightening his grip on his gun and forcing himself to focus on his job instead of thinking of Kyungsoo. Jongin and him continue their walk in silence, ignoring the small talk being exchanged by the people in front of them and stoically searching their surroundings for any threat. 

As the sun rises higher on the sky and the heat starts to become almost too much to bear they take shelter in an old pharmacy, Jongin and him curling up next to each other like they always do for their siesta and Chanyeol holds out an arm for Kyungsoo to settle into. Kyungsoo lays down but doesn’t press as close as he usually does, keeping just enough distance between the two of them to not touch and Chanyeol can’t help but think that Jongin is right.


	15. Chapter 15 - Jongin

Jongin glares at Go-un, not liking how her hand gently rests in the crook of Kyungsoo’s elbow. She had been clinging to the smaller the whole of yesterday and since this morning and Jongin doesn’t like it. She’s only here because the council of Seoul City hall said she needed to join, unlike Chanyeol and himself who are here because they care about Kyungsoo and the fate of the metro. They play a vital part in how this is going to act out and she’s just here as some sort of proof of how supposedly great City hall is. They don’t need a representative of their own. Jongin and Chanyeol are already here to represent the highrises if need be. 

And what’s even worse is that Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to realize any of this. He’s been allowing her to flirt shamelessly with him and has even been sharing stories about the metro despite only knowing her for only a day. He even told her he used to be a currier and Jongin can’t pretend that that doesn’t sting almost as bad as finding out Kyungsoo lied to them for weeks. 

What happened to the Kyungsoo who was so adamant about keeping everything about himself a secret? Apparently all of that had gone out the window the moment some pretty girl had decided to smile at him and flick her hair. He had even allowed her to change his bandages this morning, a job that is strictly reserved for Chanyeol but just like with everything else Go-un had just marched in and taken that from them too. 

He can’t hold back a roll of his eyes as Go-un lets out a pearly laugh at something Kyungsoo is saying, clearly faking just how funny she finds his comment. It’s sickening and Jongin lets himself fall even further behind so he doesn’t have to hear the shy giggles Kyungsoo lets out in response. 

Next to him Chanyeol does the same, the taller not being in nearly the same bubbly mood as he usually is and Jongin can just about put his finger on why. He decides not to comment on it, knowing that it wouldn’t put Chanyeol in a better mood to talk about it. Instead they quietly keep an eye out for any dangers that could come creeping up on them. 

So far their walk has been uneventful, a stray cat here and there and an encounter with a lazy but curious lizard yesterday is about everything that has happened so far. Jongin doesn’t complain. There has been far too much adventure for them lately and to be able to relax and just enjoy the walk is a nice change of pace. 

They’re a little over halfway to the highrise where they’ll be spending the night. It’s one of the smaller ones but it is surprisingly well off thanks to the close location to one of the larger parks. It has been rumored that the highrise has such a sound production of water that they even manage to grow rice during the rain season. 

Jongin has only had rice once in his life. It had been back in Yongwang when they had celebrated Chuseok during an especially plentiful year. A merchant had came through selling rice a few weeks before the holiday and the Council had decided to trade parts of their surplus of food for a bag of rice large enough to give each citizen a small bowl. It had been the most delicious thing Jongin had eaten in his life. 

When Kyungsoo had briefed them of the path they would be taking he had secretly been hoping that maybe the three of them could buy themselves a bowl of rice to share so Chanyeol and Kyungsoo could also experience the delicacy but now he isn’t so sure he wants Kyungsoo to go along. Besides, once they reach the highrise it seems like the smaller will be too busy with Go-un to care what he and Chanyeol get up to. 

It’s probably for the best. Kyungsoo was never meant to be a part of him and Chanyeol after all and now that he has found someone for himself he’ll surely forget whatever reasons he had for kissing Jongin. Which is _totally_ fine by Jongin. Good riddance to him. He didn’t need Kyungsoo to step in and take up the space Sehun held after all. 

“What does he even see in her?” He mutters, glaring at Go-un who is looking at Kyungsoo with large eyes as the smaller explains something or another to her. Their heights even match, Kyungsoo being only an inch or two taller than her. Compared to Chanyeol the older is a giant and Jongin’s broader build makes him look far bigger than Kyungsoo despite their height difference not being that much. It’s unfair. 

“I mean she is pretty.” Chanyeol answers and Jongin turns his glaring eyes towards the older. He hadn’t meant for anyone to hear his question. 

“Pretty annoying.” Jongin says and Chanyeol lets out a short laugh, shaking his head. Jongin turns his eyes back towards the front just in time to see Kyungsoo cast a look over his shoulder towards the two of them. Before Jongin can meet his eyes Go-un grabs his hand and his eyes are once again back on her. 

“It sounds an awful lot like you’re jealous.” Chanyeol says, nudging Jongin in the side with his elbow. Jongin rolls his eyes with as much annoyance as he can muster up and Chanyeol lets out another snort. 

“I’m just saying that he moves on awfully quickly.” Jongin shrugs, not at all taking out his frustration on a rock in their path. It comes to a rest a few meters away from them and forces a small snake out of hiding. Chanyeol aims his gun towards it but lowers it almost immediately. The snake has a pale green zigzag pattern on its back and Jongin easily recognizes it as harmless. 

“I thought you didn’t want him to be apart of us.” Chanyeol teases but Jongin can hear the seriousness hiding behind the cheeky smile Chanyeol is surely wearing. He knows that Chanyeol has been set on trying to convince Jongin to let Kyungsoo into their relationship since long before he confronted Jongin about it. He probably knew about it before Chanyeol did. 

“I don’t want someone who falls in love with the first girl who smiles at them to be a part of _us_.” Jongin mutters, pointedly keeping his eyes off of the couple in front of them. 

“He might not be in love with her.” Chanyeol says quietly, a hopeful softness to his voice that makes Jongin’s heart ache. He can’t believe Kyungsoo’s hurt Chanyeol for a second time. He can’t believe he gave the other another chance and that the smaller just toyed with their trust like this. 

“Look at him.” Jongin hisses, jerking his head minutely at Kyungsoo. “With that much flirting it’s only a matter of time before there is love involved.” 

“He’s not flirting with her.” Chanyeol sighs and Jongin can tell he doesn’t believe his own lie. He decides not to grace that statement with a reply and instead goes to point out what really annoys him. 

“He trusts her quicker than he ever trusted us. If that isn’t proof of what he feels then what is it?” He points out and Chanyeol looks away, looking small despite his height. Jongin feels his stomach twist at the sight and takes a deep breath. It isn’t Chanyeol’s fault that he has already fallen for Kyungsoo. And it’s not fair of Jongin to get upset with him for it. 

“I’m sorry.” He mutters out, moving closer to Chanyeol and giving him a small nudge in the side. The taller shrugs and Jongin feels even worse. Chanyeol is in a really bad mood if he doesn’t forgive him immediately. “I’m just...I’m disappointed I didn’t even get to give him a chance you know.” He explains and Chanyeol perks up a little at this. 

“So you did want him to be a part of _us_.” Chanyeol states and Jongin quickly shakes his head. 

“I never said that.” He protests and Chanyeol raises an eyebrow at him. 

“You did though.” He points and Jongin pretends he doesn’t hear him. Instead he pulls up his gun and aims it towards the empty car chassis they’re walking past. There is nothing in it but at least the motion takes his mind off the thought of Kyungsoo and getting to cuddle up with him every night and waking up to his kisses every morning. 

“You know it’s not too late.” Chanyeol says and Jongin continues his bad charade of deafness. “We should tell him before he gets too attached to Go-un. After all he wanted you before he wanted her.” Chanyeol finishes. 

“ _Wanted_ being the key word. Now he _wants_ her.” Jongin protests with a finality to his voice, hoping it’s enough to make Chanyeol drop the subject. He should have known it isn’t going to be. 

“No. He wants you right now and Go-un is trying to get him to want her in the future. We should strike while the iron is hot, win him over before she can.” Chanyeol says, sounding excited and Jongin rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah right. And how do you suggest we do that?” He says and Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrow in thought. 

“I’ll think of something.” He says but Jongin ignores him once more, going back to glaring daggers in Go-un’s back. At least Chanyeol is in a good mood once more and that’s enough for Jongin right now. He still hasn’t let Kyungsoo off the hook though. They had both bared themselves in front of the smaller and he isn’t going to let the smaller disregard the trust that had been built between them. Kyungsoo is going to have to answer to them before Jongin ever let him go to Go-un.


	16. Chapter 16 - Kyungsoo

Itaewon is a small highrise. It’s shorter than most that Kyungsoo has come across so far and after questioning Chanyeol he tells him it’s only recently been inhabited and isn’t one of the ones people sought refuge in when the bombs fell like most other highrises. Despite this people seem to be surprisingly well off. The guards that greet them have proper uniforms and the people inside seem well fed and happy. There is meat for sale for a ridiculous price in the market and even rice sold for its weight in gold. Kyungsoo only spares it a longing glance before moving on, searching the market for flashlights they can all use once it’s time to start travelling through the tunnels. 

He finds four cheap ones in a dodgy market stand in the corner of the main hall. Flashlights are not something usually used up here the shopkeeper tells him. _People don’t travel by night you see,_ he says and flashes Kyungsoo a strained grin. 

“Now, why would a traveller such as yourself need these?” He asks next as Kyungsoo pulls out the few bobby pins he’s managed to collect through his short stay up top. 

“Lighting up darkness.” Kyungsoo brushes the question away, putting down the bobby pins on the table in front of the shopkeep. It’s only enough for three of the flashlights but Kyungsoo has never been one to pay full price for stuff. He knows haggling isn’t the norm up here but he doubts this shopkeep holds on too strongly to norms and regulations. 

“Seems like you’re a little short on the pins there my little man.” The strained smile is back and Kyungsoo raises his eyebrows in question, looking down at the pins on the table and back up at the shopkeep. The other’s grin only grows and Kyungsoo reaches into his backpack once more, making sure to make as much of a show as possible of how inconvenienced he is by the whole ordeal. He searches for a moment before shrugging his shoulders as if not finding anything.

“Seems you’re right.” He says as quickly reaches out to rest his hand over the bobby pins on the table. The shopkeeper's eyes widen for a split second and Kyungsoo has to suppress a smirk. Instead he sighs deeply and moves as if to take the bobby pins back. 

“Wait!” The shopkeeper says and Kyungsoo stops, looking up at him with questioning eyes. He knows these kind of merchants, has dealt with them more than a few times in the metro. They don’t exactly have profit margins other than making one of two caps or pins on their wares. Stealing things usually ensures that sort of business economics. 

“Seems I was wrong after all.” The shopkeeper says in a strained voice, flashing another grin. “The flashlights are yours.” 

Kyungsoo nods, pushing the bobby pins back towards the merchant and flashing him a smile of his own in return. 

“Pleasure doing buisness with you.” He says and removes his hand from on top of the bobby pins, revealing a three bullets among the metal. Bullets might not be considered official currency but they can sweeten any deal to those who travel. After all, even the shadiest of shopkeepers value their lives over money. Something little extra thrown into the deal makes sure he doesn’t have to worry about having his purchase stolen back from him. 

“The pleasure is all mine.” The shopkeep replies as Kyungsoo stores the flashlights and makes his way towards the rooms their small travel group have rented for themselves. Go-un will have a room of her own while he will share with Jongin and Chanyeol and Kyungsoo can’t say he’s not relieved to have some time away from the girl. She’s sweet but she hasn’t left him alone since they left the City hall and it’s starting to take its toll on his patience. 

Usually he wouldn’t have any problems telling it straight to her face that he doesn’t want to talk to her but this is the person who will be arguing for his people’s survival. It’s important that she sees the metro in as good of a light as possible so that when they return with replies from the Terminal she has nothing but good to say to the City hall council. Which right now meant he has to endure her clinging and never ending questions. 

Once he reaches their room it is empty. Jongin and Chanyeol’s bags are stowed away in a corner of the room and the two futons they have rented rolled up by the window. It looks like they haven’t done much more than unloaded their stuff before leaving again. Kyungsoo wonders where they went. He had told them he was checking out the market and had expected both Jongin but especially Chanyeol to jump at the opportunity to join him but they had both declined. Considering there is not much else to do he had thought they would be hanging out in their room. 

He places his bag alongside the other two before moving back out of the room and looking around. He considers asking Go-un in the room opposite if she knows but that would mean having to interact with her, the last thing he wants to do right now. Instead he decides to head out towards the main staircase in hope of catching sight of where they might have gone. 

He is on his second flight of stairs and his leg is really starting to hurt from the long day of walking as well as the climb when a voice calls his name behind him. He turns around and spots Chanyeol happily waving at him, gesturing for him to come. 

“We’re taking a bath, wanna join?” He asks. Kyungsoo hesitates, fingers tightening along the railing before deciding that it’s better than being alone. 

“Sure.” He allows Chanyeol to take his hand and drag him along an empty corridor. The taller is talking excitedly about finally having the opportunity to properly wash himself and Kyungsoo can only agree that it’s going to be nice to wash the dust and grime off of himself. They haven’t had a bath since they left Yeouido and it’s only because Itaewon has such a good supply of water that they’re able to have one at all. Most highrises offer it to travellers but at a very high fee and it’s not until now it’s been anywhere close to their budget. 

“Jongin’s waiting for us. I bet he’s already in the tub, he loves water.” Chanyeol says as he pushes open a door and a wall of hot, moist air hits Kyungsoo. It’s exactly like when he took a bath with Jongin all that time ago, the way the water seems to cling to his skin even before he has gone and dipped himself in it but this time he can actually see what’s going on. It makes him feel both more comfortable and uncomfortable at the aspect of sharing a bath. 

In front of him is a thin corridor lined with door openings without doors. Instead there is a thin piece of cloth covering each opening and Chanyeol pushes one of the closest ones aside to reveal a small room with a large tub inside. It’s big, the biggest Kyungsoo has ever seen, and could probably house five people if you don’t mind sharing your personal space. 

Just like Chanyeol predicted Jongin is already in the bath. He pushes his wet hair out of his face as he happily greets the two of them and Kyungsoo can’t help but swallow as his wet skin shines in the rays from the setting sun. It looks like he’s made from bronze, his tan skin almost golden. 

He tears his eyes away from the younger, feeling the tips of his ears heat up and promptly ignoring it. Next to him Chanyeol is kicking his boots off and unbuttoning his pants, clearly having no claims about getting naked in front of the other two in the room. Kyungsoo slowly starts undressing himself, keeping his eyes away from Chanyeol once too much skin is getting revealed. 

Just like the last bath he had with Jongin he hesitates at his underwear, wondering if he can get away with wearing them in the bath. 

“Come on Soo-ya! It’s really warm in the water.” Jongin calls, his voice bright and happy in a way Kyungsoo hasn’t heard since they left City hall. It makes his own lips quirk up in a smile he can’t stop. In one swift movement he undresses and moves over to the water, grabbing Chanyeol’s hand to steady himself as he climbs inside. 

“It’s Hyung to you.” He scolds softly as he sinks into the water, grimacing as the hot water stings his still healing leg. Jongin regularly calls him Kyungsoo-ya or Soo-ya and despite Kyungsoo telling him several times that he’s wrong Jongin has yet to stop. Kyungsoo doesn’t really care though, not when something warm bubbles up in him every time either Jongin or Chanyeol calls him by the nickname. He doesn’t even mind the Banmal any more. It’s just another charm with the people up top.

“Your leg okay?” Chanyeol asks, still arranging his long limbs in the tub so they’re not in the way for someone else’s. Kyungsoo nods, scooting a little further down in the tub until the water is tickling his chin. The steam rising from the surface makes the air hot and thick to breathe and it makes Kyungsoo feel drowsy despite it being hours still until bedtime. 

“Ah- this is so nice.” Jongin sighs next to him, shifting until he’s resting his arms on the edge of the tub. Kyungsoo looks over at the younger, his stomach fluttering at the sight. The top of Jongin’s chest is exposed to the air and rivulets of water is flowing down the defined muscles, tracing them expertly. Kyungsoo follows a drop with his eyes, watching it curve around a Jongin’s nipple before merging with the surface. 

He swallows once more and his face feels too hot for it to just be the hot water. He remembers how that chest had felt against his back and almost wishes Jongin would volunteer to clean him once more just so he can feel it again. His eyes trail further along the curve of Jongin’s body, down his well defined stomach and abdomen until...

Kyungsoo looks away quick enough to make the water splash around him, his legs subconsciously closing and drawing closer to his body as he tries not to think about Jongin’s body. His hands travel to his own crotch, covering it as he licks his lips and looks around the room. 

His eyes locks with Chanyeol’s and the older is staring straight at Kyungsoo, an intent look on his lips and Kyungsoo looks down, feeling his stomach twist in shame. He hadn’t meant to check Jongin out like that. He knows Chanyeol and Jongin are a thing and have been for probably several years now. He has no intentions of coming between the two of them but he can’t help but wonder what it would be like to have someone like that. 

He has only had short little flings while in the metro, more like a stress relief than a relationship. He’s always on the move and he never knows where he will go next. The tunnels are dangerous enough to travel with only yourself to look out for. There is no room in his life for anyone other than himself. 

But that had been before. Before he had reached the surface and Jongin and Chanyeol had entered his life. Now he can barely imagine a future without them involved somehow, he doesn’t want to. It’s only been a few weeks but Chanyeol with his stupid humor that somehow manages to get Kyungsoo to laugh and infectious friendliness and Jongin with his almost childlike behaviour at times and a personality that is almost too much like Kyungsoo’s own have become almost as important to Kyungsoo as Sinmokdong is. 

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Chanyeol asks next to him and Kyungsoo looks up, eyes wide as they lock with the older’s. He can feel his face go even redder as Chanyeol continues to stare him down and for the first time in his life Kyungsoo can’t think of anything to say. 

“I- No! I mean, yes but- No I- I wasn’t- It’s not like-” He stutters, his voice embarrassingly high pitched as he tries to explain himself. Behind him Jongin moves and Kyungsoo can feel the water roll against his back from the movement. Chanyeol’s eyes flicker to Jongin for a short moment before once more return to Kyungsoo. His expression is flat, not a single emotion giving away what he’s thinking and it’s so unlike Chanyeol that Kyungsoo feels as if he’s seeing a stranger. 

“We know about the kiss.” Jongin says from behind him and Kyungsoo feels the blood drain from his face. He breaks eye contact, looking down in the water once more. He had noticed that Chanyeol and Jongin had been acting strangely since they had left Seoul City hall but he would have never guessed it had been because of the kiss. He had just assumed that they had been as anxious over the whole situation as himself but now that he thinks back on it that seems stupid. Of course there had to be something else and now that he really thinks about it hadn’t the weird feeling between them started the morning of the kiss? 

“I’m sorry.” He whispers, his voice weak. He feels awful. He can’t believe how much it must have hurt Chanyeol when he found out that Kyungsoo had gone behind his back once more. Sweet, loving Chanyeol who always puts other before himself and Kyungsoo had broken that trust twice since meeting him. It’s a wonder they’re still agreeing to come along with him. He truly doesn’t deserve to even have them as friend.

Jongin’s hand lands on his shoulder and the touch burns. Kyungsoo can hear the water slosh against the side of the tub as the other two in it moves but he doesn’t dare to look up to see what they’re doing. Chanyeol’s hand lands on his other shoulder, angling his body and traveling up his neck until his thumb is pushing Kyungsoo’s head up, forcing him to look at the taller. 

“Don’t be.” Jongin whispers in his ear, the hot air making a shiver run down his spine. A moment later Chanyeol’s lips are on his and Kyungsoo lets out a noise of surprise. His hands come up to brace against Chanyeol’s chest and the taller pushes closer, deepening the kiss. Kyungsoo doesn’t reproduce, too busy trying to wrap his mind around what’s happening. 

Chanyeol pulls away a moment later, his thumb stroking up Kyungsoo’s jaw line as he looks down at the smaller with hopeful eyes.

“What?” Is all Kyungsoo can manage. Jongin’s breath is still tickling against his ear and Chanyeol’s hand feel like it’s burning where it rests against his skin. 

“We like you. Both of us.” Chanyeol explain and Kyungsoo blinks, opening his mouth to ask what he means by both of them but all that comes out is a low groan as Jongin’s lips wrap around his earsnib. Chanyeol moves closer once more, his lips ghosting against Kyungsoo’s cheek. 

“And we know you like us.” The taller whispers against his lips and Kyungsoo’s eyes flutter close as Chanyeol presses close in another kiss. Jongin’s hand travel from his shoulder down to his waist and soon the other joins too, fitting perfectly in the gentle curve above his hips. Chanyeol pulls away for a moment before once again pressing his lips against Kyungsoo’s, sucking gently on his bottom lip. Jongin’s hands squeze his waist, the other’s breath hot against his ear before Jongin too presses his lips to Kyungsoo, trailing down his neck.

It is almost too much and Kyungsoo doesn’t know what to think. A moment ago he had been sure he had destroyed the precious friendship he has with the pair and now _they_ seem to be intent on ruining it in a completely different way. He pulls away, turning his face away from Chanyeol and trying to suppress a shudder as Jongin sucks and nips at the skin in the crook of his neck. 

“Wait.” He says, his voice breathy and thick in the heavy air. Chanyeol’s thumb once more strokes up the side of his face. “What-ah. What are we doing?” He forces out, trying not to think of how Jongin had suddenly pushed himself flush against Kyungsoo’s back. 

“You, I was hoping.” Chanyeol says and Kyungsoo can practically hear the wink in his voice. He shakes his head, trying to pull himself a little further from the situation but it’s hard when he’s being caged in and his body doesn’t really want to move away. Thankfully his hesitance goes noticed and Jongin stops to rest his head against his shoulder and Chanyeol makes a small noise of question. 

“Aren’t...you and Jongin are already a pair?” Kyungsoo asks, turning to look into Chanyeol’s eyes. The fondness in those brown orbs are enough to make his breath hitch once more. The older smiles, hand moving from Kyungsoo’s cheek down his shoulder and arm until he’s grabbing a hand still resting against Chanyeol’s chest. 

“We are.” Chanyeol confirms but doesn’t offer any more information. Kyungsoo blinks, mouth working wordlessly as he tries to find the words to the questions inside of him. 

“Then what is this? Aren’t? I’m not supposed to be here.” He says. Chanyeol’s smile drops and his brows furrow. Behind him Jongin makes a small noise of protest and his arms curl around Kyungsoo’s chest, holding him tight. 

“We want you to be here.” Chanyeol says, once again serious. Kyungsoo just blinks again, not able to wrap his mind around how Jongin and Chanyeol wanting him as friends connects with their current situation. “This is an invitation, I guess.” Chanyeol adds, looking behind Kyungsoo for help from his partner. “We thought... You seemed to want too...” He trails off, pulling a little further back and Kyungsoo pulls at his hand to stop him. He doesn’t want Chanyeol to go. 

“Look.” Jongin speaks up from behind him and Kyungsoo turns his head towards the younger. “Long story short. It used to be three of us. Me, Chanyeol and Sehun. Now there is two and we want it to be three again. We want you to be that third person. That is why you’re here.” His voice is curt and to the point. Kyungsoo nods slightly, satisfied with the clean cut information. “Now. Do you like me?” Jongin adds. 

“Yes.” Kyungsoo answers after a moment of hesitation, licking his lips. 

“Do you like Chanyeol?” Jongin continues.

“Yes.” Kyungsoo answers once more, his voice stronger. 

“Good. Then let’s continue.” In one swift movement Jongin’s hands travel down his chest, rounding his sides and settling on his hips, fingers dangerously close to his crotch. At the same time his lips resume their activity on the crook of his neck, sucking on the faint mark left behind from earlier. Kyungsoo jumps, instinctively moving forwards and ending up pressed against Chanyeol’s chest. 

The taller chuckles, a large hand landing on Kyungsoo’s shoulder to steady him. Kyungsoo can feel his whole face burn from embarrassment and as Jongin’s teeth grace his sensitive skin, forcing a groan from his lips. He hides his face in Chanyeol’s chest. The hand Chanyeol had wrapped around his own once more finds its way to his cheek, thumb stroking his cheek and trying to coax Kyungsoo out of hiding. 

Behind him Jongin’s hands are moving again, trailing his hips and circling around his thighs until they’re almost cupping his ass. Kyungsoo tries to move forwards once more but Chanyeol’s hand on his shoulder suddenly tightens, stopping him and holding him in place. Jongin moans wetly against his ear, making his stomach twist with arousal. 

In the space of a moment Chanyeol’s hand leaves his cheek and fists in the hair at the nape of his neck. WIth a sharp tug he forces Kyungsoo to pull back, his neck bared to the oldest and his eyes wide as they lock with Chanyeol’s. Inside those dark orbs are the same fondness as Kyungsoo had seen before but burning behind that is something dark, hungrily taking in Kyungsoo’s vulnerable position. Kyungsoo doesn’t dare breathe, waiting for Chanyeol’s next move with tense anticipation. He makes no move to get free from Chanyeol’s grip, knowing he couldn’t get free if he tries. The thought makes a small needy whine escape his throat. 

“Fuck.” Jongin groans as Chanyeol finally dives in for a kiss, swallowing the moan leaving Kyungsoo’s mouth. Kyungsoo pushes further into the kiss, opening his mouth and letting Chanyeol take control. The other’s hand stay fisted in his hair, occasionally tugging and making sparks run down Kyungsoo’s spine. 

“You’re beautiful.” Chanyeol whispers against his lips before biting down on his bottom lip. Kyungsoo keens, his hands curling against Chanyeol’s chest. Jongin once more runs his hands over his body, one hand traveling up his chest and thin fingers curling around a nipple while the other dives down towards his crotch, skirting around his hardening member. 

“Yeol.” Jongin breathes behind him, his voice low and husky and the sound goes straight to Kyungsoo’s dick. Chanyeol hums against his lips, pulling away from a moment to look over at Jongin. His hand leaves Kyungsoo’s hair, once more settling gently against his cheek. “Help me.” Jongin sighs, his hand leaving Kyungsoo’s crotch to wrap around his thigh again. 

Chanyeol’s hands move down to join Jongin’s, closing around his thighs before lifting him with a small grunt, the water making him weigh next to nothing. Kyungsoo let’s out a sound of surprise, grabbing hold of Chanyeol’s shoulders as he is maneuvered around. Normally he would hate this, he knows this, but being lifted and held by both Chanyeol and Jongin has become almost second nature and he actually finds himself almost missing the feeling now that he can once more move on his own. 

So he lets Jongin spread his leg, allows himself to be sat on Chanyeol’s lap with his legs on either side of the older’s hips. He follows the hand guiding his hips until he’s arching, chest pressed against Chanyeol’s and Jongin slotted against his back, his pelvis pressing against Kyungsoo’s and the unmistakeable hardness of Jongin’s cock pressing against his backside. 

Chanyeol lifts Kyungsoo’s hands up from where they’re still holding onto the older’s chest and wraps the arms around his neck, making sure Kyungsoo can’t pull away. They end up face to face, the added height of him sitting on Chanyeol’s lap just enough to lift him up so they’re on even height. Chanyeol’s eyes are dark with arousal, drawing Kyungsoo in. His hands squeeze around Kyungsoo’s thighs and Kyungsoo knows what the other wants without any words having to be spoken. 

He pulls in, pressing a small, hesitant kiss against Chanyeol’s lips. The hands squeeze again and Kyungsoo moves closer, pushing deeper into the kiss. His hands move until they reach the other’s hair, slowly running through the now damp strands. It’s not soft, nor can he run his fingers through it without them tangling but it’s still absolutely perfect and Kyungsoo sighs into the kiss, allowing Chanyeol to once more take control. 

Behind him Jongin’s hands move to his waist once more and his mouth pulls his ear into his mouth again while the member pressed against his backside slowly thrusts forwards, hot where it moves against his skin. Chanyeol spreads his legs, making more room for Jongin and Kyungsoo’s knees are forced even wider apart. He pulls back, breaking the kiss and looking down between himself and Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol’s cock is standing proud, curved up against his belly and only inches away from his own. The water makes it hard to make out exactly what Chanyeol looks like but he’s definitely longer than Kyungsoo, although not as girthy. 

“Like what you see?” Jongin whispers behind him and Kyungsoo swallows, trying not to think of how Jongin’s cock is pressed against his back. He fails miserably. Jongin chuckles, his hand leaving Kyungsoo’s waist and moving to his ass, spreading him open before thrusting up between his cheeks with enough movement to force Kyungsoo forwards. His cock rubs up against Chanyeol’s, the water making the glide easy and slippery. He can hear himself groan, deep and loudly and Jongin chuckles again, moving his hips once more. This time it’s gentler and the glide of Jongin’s member against his rim makes him shudder. 

Chanyeol’s hands join Jongin’s on his hips, holding him in place as he rolls his hips, forcing another moan out of Kyungsoo. Everything is so hot, the steam from the hot water mixing with the heat of their breaths and Kyungsoo feels almost dizzy with arousal. His abdomen clenches as Chanyeol moves against him once more, the glide from his dick barely enough to satisfy. He needs more but when he moves his hand from Chanyeol’s hair and down towards their cocks Chanyeol is quick to grab his wrist. 

“No touching.” He orders and Kyungsoo whines, trying to snake his hand free. He needs it, needs more. The slow glide of Jongin’s dick against him isn’t nearly enough to do more than tease and the minimal friction against his member is maddening. He tries moving his hips, either back towards Jongin or further up against Chanyeol but Jongin’s strong hands are enough to keep him in place. 

“Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol growls and Kyungsoo’s eyes fly open, locking with the brown orbs in front of him. He stops moving, his breath hitching as Chanyeol’s grip on his wrist momentarily tightens before the taller is pulling it back towards his other. Kyungsoo swallows, obediently moving his hand back until it’s resting against Chanyeol’s back. 

“Good.” The oldest says and presses a gentle kiss against his lips, making Kyungsoo shudder at the praise. Chanyeol pulls away once more, looking behind him and then Kyungsoo is being pressed forwards as Jongin locks lips with Chanyeol, still keeping up the slow fucking against Kyungsoo’s back. 

Chanyeol’s hand leave his hip and a moment later Kyungsoo can hear Jongin groan and Chanyeol’s knuckles brush against his back as he takes Jongin’s cock in his hand. Kyungsoo shudders, the water splashing against them as Chanyeol slowly starts to jerk Jongin off. The younger groans again and Kyungsoo can’t stop a moan from rising in his throat, the thought of Chanyeol’s long fingers doing the same to him making his cock twitch. He hesitantly moves his hips, remembering the way Jongin had stopped him before, and much to his dismay the grip on his hips remain as strong as before. 

He whines, his skin feeling tighter with each second that passes where all he can hear is the desperate little pants coming from Jongin. He wants to turn around, wants to see Jongin come undone, but at the same time he wants Chanyeol to turn his attention to him, for Jongin to resume his thrusting, touching him and using him until he can’t take it anymore. 

“He’s loud.” Chanyeol chuckles, pulling back slightly to look at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo feels his cheeks heat up once more at the teasing smirk sent his way. Chanyeol moves closer, lips closing around the mark on his neck for a moment and teasing another moan from his lips. “You know anyone could hear us.” Chanyeol whispers and Kyungsoo shudders, his mind supplying him with images of what they must look like, pressed so close in the tub, lips red from kissing and pupils blown wide by arousal. And in the middle of it Kyungsoo, cased in between the two others and held into place as they take what they want. 

He moans again, arching his back further and bearing his neck for Chanyeol to suck on again. He can hear Jongin almost giggle, the hands on his waist tightening for a moment in an almost hug. 

“Fuck Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol groans, his hand releasing Jongin and moving between himself and Kyungsoo. A second later Kyungsoo finally feels fingers close around his erection and lets out a loud groan, head falling forwards until it’s resting against Chanyeol’s shoulder. “You have to keep quiet.” Chanyeol chuckles as he readjusts his grip around the both of them. Kyungsoo whines, hips twitching forwards to try and get more of the delicious contact. 

“Can’t.” Kyungsoo gasps, biting his lips to hold back another groan as Chanyeol begins stroking him. The pressure around his dick is just perfect and the water makes everything so hot and slippery. The slide of Chanyeol’s cock against his own is enough to make his eyes roll back into his eyes and Kyungsoo fails to hold back the next moan. 

One of Jongin’s hands travel up his chest, the other keeping its strong grip on his hip, but this time it doesn’t stop by his nipples. Instead it moves further up, sliding up around his neck until it’s pressed close in the juncture of his jaw and neck. He instinctively pulls his head back, trying to get away from the hand, but Jongin follows, forcing him to arch his back even more.

The hand tightens at the same moment as Jongin thrusts forwards, roughly smacking his hips against Kyungsoo’s and making him draw in a shallow breath, the hand restricting him from doing much more. Jongin begins to move his hips in earnest, the smooth skin of his cock gliding against Kyungsoo’s backside. Each thrust is accentuated with a snap of his hips, making Kyungsoo move forwards and fuck into Chanyeol’s tight grip. 

The pair soon find a rhythm, Chanyeol matching his motions with Jongin’s thrusts and Kyungsoo scrambles to hold onto Chanyeol’s shoulders as the electrifying friction sends sparks coursing through his body. Jongin keeps his strong grip around his throat, cutting off just enough air to stop any noise and make it a struggle for Kyungsoo to breathe. His eyes roll back into his head at a particularly strong thrust, his body twitching from the assault on his senses. 

“You look perfect like this.” Chanyeol growls, his own hips moving best they can under Kyungsoo’s weight. His hand has sped up, movements becoming more and more rushed with each flick of his wrist. Kyungsoo screws his eyes shut, his mouth hanging open as he pants in shallow breaths. Jongin’s laboured breathing is hot against his ear, the quiet moans and groans as he fucks against Kyungsoo enough to make the smaller’s head spin. “Gonna cum. Fuck.” Chanyeol groans, hand speeding up once. Behind him Jongin’s thrusts are losing their rhythm, the grip on Kyungsoo’s hip surely strong enough to bruise by now but Kyungsoo doesn’t care. He’s so close. So so close and the tight ball of arousal in his guts is wound so tight it’s almost painful. 

“Come on come on come on.” Chanyeol mumbles, biting back a moan as Kyungsoo’s nails dig into his back. Jongin let’s out a long whine, hips snapping forwards three times in quick succession before he grunts and the hand around Kyungsoo’s neck tightens enough to cut off his airflow completely. He can feel Jongin twitch against his back, the hot splash of cum hitting his back despite them being submerged in water. 

A second later the hand loosens around his throat, falling away. Kyungsoo draws a deep breath and his orgasm crashes over him, the tightly wound ball exploding out until it’s filling his every cell. He gasps, curling around Chanyeol and hiding his face in the crook of the other’s neck. Under him Chanyeol stills, hips twitching in short movements as he too cums, hand tightening around Kyungsoo and making him let out a choppy moan. 

They stay quiet for a long moment, just breathing in each other's scent. Jongin presses lazy kisses against Kyungsoo’s shoulders, his fingers ghosting against his sides and sending shivers running up Kyungsoo’s spine despite the warm room. Kyungsoo sighs, pushing away slowly from Chanyeol who groans at the motion. The taller has rolled his head back, his neck exposed. He looks seconds away from sleeping and Kyungsoo finds himself wanting to move forwards to press a kiss against Chanyeol’s adam’s apple. He doesn’t. The impulsiveness from earlier leaving him as the pleasant afterbuzz lessens. 

“Come here.” Jongin says suddenly behind him, wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo’s waist and pulling him off Chanyeol’s lap. Kyungsoo struggles, pushing against Jongin’s hands that holds him in place. He can move on his own. The arms around his waist loosens but Jongin’s hands remains on his hips, hesitantly pulling him backwards. Kyungsoo follows, sitting down between Jongin’s legs and leaning back against his chest. It feels just like it did back in Yeouido and Kyungsoo allows himself to relax once more. 

“You’re much more fun when you got a hand around your dick.” Jongin teases and Kyungsoo pinches his calf, making the younger twitch. Still he can’t stop the fond chuckle from escaping his lips and Jongin follows with a giggle of his own, cuddling up against him like Kyungsoo has seen Jongin do with Chanyeol. 

“So, Soo-ya. What do you say?” Chanyeol asks, looking up at the two of them. A smile grows on his lips as he takes in the image in front of them. Kyungsoo can feel how Jongin smiles from the way his cheek squishes against the side of his head. They’re so in love it’s almost disgusting. Kyungsoo wants nothing more than to join them. 

“Let me think about it.” He says even though his heart screams yes. There is a long road ahead of them and soon he will be back in the Metro. The thought of those tunnels are enough to make his stomach clench uncomfortably. He doesn’t want to expose Jongin and Chanyeol to that kind of darkness. They’re so bright, their love radiant and he’s afraid the metro will taint it.

He can feel Jongin tense against his back and Chanyeol’s smile falls. The arms around his middle begins to retract and Kyungsoo quickly clutches at them, not wanting them to disappear. A sudden tension grows between them and Kyungsoo hates that he’s the reason for it. But...it must be better this way. He can’t stand the thought of losing Jongin and Chanyeol. Maybe later, when he knows they have all survived the trip through the metro, he’ll say yes. 

“But...I thought you-” Chanyeol says, looking unsure of himself. It doesn’t suit him. 

“Don’t you like us.” Jongin asks. 

“I do.” Kyungsoo says, complete honesty in his voice. He doesn’t know about Chanyeol but he feels that he and Jongin have a made a silent agreement to be honest to each other, even if one of them ends up hurt in the process. Kyungsoo has already broken that agreement too many times when he lied about why he left Yeouido to begin with. He’s not going to do it again. 

“Why aren’t you saying yes?” Jongin asks and Kyungsoo licks his lips, thinking through his answer before replying. 

“I don’t want to lose you. You can’t lose something you never had.” He says and the words burn his throat on the way out. He wants to sink back into Jongin’s embrace but forces himself to stay still, forces his face to remain impassive. 

“I think you’re passed that point that already.” Chanyeol chuckles and Kyungsoo furrows his brows at the older. That only makes Chanyeol laugh harder. “No matter what happens, if either of us disappear it’s going to hurt. You saying no to this won’t stop that.” The taller explains, sobering up quickly. 

Kyungsoo looks away, not wanting to admit that what Chanyeol says is right. Still. Allowing himself to join into the group that is Jongin and Chanyeol would mean lowering the last of his guards. It might hurt regardless but he can still lessen the pain. 

“You mean like what happened with Sehun.” Kyungsoo says and in a matter of seconds the hot air grows cold. Jongin’s fingers dig into his skin hard enough to hurt and Chanyeol looks like someone has just punched him in the face. It had been a shot in the dark, that Sehun had died, and the silence that stretches between them is the loudest confirmation Kyungsoo could have ever gotten. 

“Yes.” Jongin rasps and suddenly guilt wells up within Kyungsoo, filling him to the point where he feels like he’s going to throw up any second. Jongin sounds so hurt, so small, and even Chanyeol who’s constantly so bright looks pale, faded. It had been meant to be a question. He had just been curious after hearing so much about Sehun but never finding out anything. He had understood that there used to be the three of them in the same way it can be the three of Kyungsoo, Jongin and Chanyeol. Or maybe he should think of it as could have been. 

“I’m sorry.” He says. “I crossed the line. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He swallows, pulling at Jongin’s hands to get them to wrap tighter around him. A weak attempt at comfort.

“It’s alright.” Jongin speaks up and Kyungsoo can tell it’s not. “You’re right. We lost Sehun, and it hurt. It still hurts and I know it’s never going to stop hurting. But...” Jongin trails off, shifting behind Kyungsoo. The smaller doesn’t dare to look back. He doesn’t want to see the hurt in Jongin’s eyes. Instead he watches Chanyeol, seeing the older’s expression grow fond again. 

“You’re not Sehun.” Jongin says. “But you still make me feel everything he made me feel except in a completely different way. I miss him. I don’t want to miss you too. I want to share how amazing it feels to be the three of us with you, even if I end up hurt in the future. Because if there is something losing Sehun taught me it’s that no matter what I will never regret loving him as much as I did. Do....did. It’s not worth missing out on that even if you end up hurt.” Jongin’s voice cracks a few times as he explains himself but when Kyungsoo caves and looks back at him he can see that the younger is smiling. 

The smile is breathtaking, stealing the air away from Kyungsoo’s lungs. He feels himself smile in return, his chest swelling with affection for the younger. He understands how Chanyeol must feel whenever he gets that stupid look on his face whenever Jongin does something special. He has the striking suspicion he is wearing the exact same stupid fond look in his eyes but he honestly can’t stop himself. A laugh bubbles out of his mouth and it’s certainly not an appropriate reaction to what Jongin’s said but it seems to be the right one because Jongin begins laughing too, albeit a bit wetly. 

Behind him Chanyeol lurches forwards, sending a wave of water splashing into Kyungsoo’s open mouth and squishing him against Jongin in a way that’s beyond uncomfortable but it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because when he looks back at Chanyeol the older is smiling even wider than himself. It doesn’t matter because Jongin’s laugh is the best sounds he’s ever heard and it only gets better as Chanyeol hugs them both close. It doesn’t matter because Jongin’s words make sense to him. It doesn’t matter because together they shine so bright not even the darkness of tunnels can extinguish them. 

“Alright.” He laughs, pressing a happy kiss against Chanyeol’s lips.


	17. Chapter 17 - Chanyeol

Kyungsoo is still walking with Go-un and the girl is still fluttering her eyelashes at him every chance she gets but Chanyeol can’t find an ounce of jealousy inside himself. Not when Kyungsoo is looking back at Jongin and himself every few minutes, his eyes glinting with the same happiness that made Chanyeol’s insides melt into a happy mess last night. 

They hadn’t originally planned on getting so intimate with Kyungsoo. His and Jongin’s plan had been to try and steer Kyungsoo into the topic of them and gently breach that they very much wanted him to join them. They had spent the better part of an hour discussing whether or not it is the right thing to do while Kyungsoo had been out in the highrise doing whatever it had been that he had been doing before the bath last night. 

Jongin had been against it at first, doubting that Kyungsoo wanted anything to with them after Go-un had joined them a few days before but Chanyeol had managed to bring out the stubbornness inside him. They had needed to act before Go-un succeeded with her plan after all but now in hindsight Chanyeol suspects there hadn’t been anything to worry about. 

In fact, he almost wishes that they had done this a lot earlier. But then again Jongin needed to come to terms with his own feelings first and if rushing this had meant Jongin would have ended up hurt Chanyeol wants no part of it. No, he decides, this had been the perfect moment for it to happen. 

And the sex had just been an added bonus. A magnificent added bonus. An added bonus that made Chanyeol feel more relaxed and at ease than he had in ages. Since they left Yeouido there hadn’t really been any moment where he and Jongin could get intimate and he would be lying if he said it hasn’t been building up inside him. 

Judging from the way Jongin is walking with a relaxed smile on his lip next to him he isn’t the only one who needed it. Kyungsoo also seems more at ease, his narrow shoulders more relaxed than Chanyeol has ever seen them and there is a small spring to his steps. It makes the fondness swell up inside him again as he watches Kyungsoo send a smile towards Jongin, completely ignoring whatever Go-un is saying to him. 

Chanyeol can’t help but marvel at how easily Kyungsoo fits in between the two of them, falling into place like there has been a hole carved out just for him. It shouldn’t work, not between Jongin’s stubbornness, Kyungsoo’s pride and Chanyeol’s tactlessness. There is something within all of them that should rub the other two the wrong way. But maybe that’s just what they need. After all even puzzle pieces had edges and they still fit together perfectly. Last night had been a testimony just to how well the shorter slotted together with them, both mentally and physically. 

When Chanyeol had taken his leap of faith and brought Kyungsoo in for that first kiss he had figured there would be at least a little bit of awkward shuffling around before they had all found the place they wanted. But Kyungsoo had allowed himself to be molded like clay in their hands, responding so perfectly to all of their inputs. From the way Jongin’s hands had made him bare himself to the way he had blindly obeyed Chanyeol. It had been like Kyungsoo is an extension of themselves. 

If he is to be honest Chanyeol had expected a little bit more fighting between him and Kyungsoo. He had expected Kyungsoo to want to be in charge just as much as himself and if he is honest he thinks Jongin had expected the same. Kyungsoo is not someone who lets other people boss him around, and he is definitely not someone who lets himself be controlled. But it seems like from the very first kiss Kyungsoo had given himself fully to the two of them. The trust that requires still makes Chanyeol’s abdomen tighten. 

Before when there had been he, Jongin and Sehun none of them had allowed the other two to dominate to that extent. Chanyeol had always been in charge, whether it be in the bedroom or outside of it, and Jongin and Sehun had had a push and pull relationship with each other. Sometimes one of them let the other be in charge, sometimes not. It had worked amazingly for them but Chanyeol would be lying if he said he isn’t looking forward to exploring just how much of himself Kyungsoo is willing to give. From the way that Jongin had been practically devouring him last night he guessed he isn’t the only one. The fact that Kyungsoo refuses to show even the slightest of that outside of the bedroom only makes it more exciting. 

Chanyeol sighs, pushing his long bangs out of his face and under his caps as he scans their surroundings. They’re walking towards Oksu highrise today and so far they have made good ground. The streets they’re walking down are empty, picked clean by scouts of nearby highrises. The houses lining the road are almost all collapsed, torn down by the dust cloud all those years ago or broken apart by sandstorms and the strain of time. It makes the area look even more deserted than usual and exposes them to be seen from further away. 

He tightens his grip on his gun, letting his eyes trail over all the nooks and crannies created by the concrete slabs. They are not big enough to hide something really dangerous but there could easily fit a wild dog or two in there. Even something so small could poise a danger. If they have to shoot that would draw attention to their location and could alert larger prey to their presence. 

The sun isn’t as hot today as it usually is courtesy to the wind that has been whipping around them since early this morning. It ensures they can walk longer before having to take a break so Chanyeol is only thankful. There isn’t often you get a break from the pressing heat and a windy day is exactly what they need to make up some of the time they lost due to Kyungsoo’s bad leg. It’s almost completely healed now, the scab is starting to loosen around the edges and soon all that will be left from the injury is a scar and a memory. 

“We should probably start looking for a place to rest.” Jongin says next to him and Kyungsoo turns around, catching the younger’s eyes. Chanyeol’s heart skips a beat as Kyungsoo’s eyes crinkle at the side, a clear sign of a smile. How he had gone so long before without seeing those smiles is beyond him. 

“It’s probably for the best.” Go-un speaks up, making Chanyeol tear his eyes away from Kyungsoo. There is a slight scowl on her face but not even that can stop her from being pretty. Chanyeol figures that if things had been different he could very much see himself falling for her instead of Kyungsoo. Right now though he mostly just finds her slightly annoying. 

“We can’t sleep here. Too exposed. Let’s keep walking but keep your eyes open.” Jongin says and Chanyeol gives a curt nod in reply. The group continue their walk in silence. The buildings around them are almost level with the ground and their surroundings resemble a lange square more than a street. Chanyeol looks around himself, trying to see if he can spot any sort of shelter for them that’s not too obviously just that. Next to him Jongin is doing the same and even Go-un seems to have stopped her usual chatting to keep watch. 

There is an abandoned newspaper stand that they quickly rule out. The door doesn’t close properly and the hatch leading into the stand has long since been torn out, leaving them basically out in the open if they were to rest there. They continue their walk. 

The wind have picked up a little and Chanyeol is grateful. The cooling effect from the wind buys them a little extra time to find proper shelter. Still, time is starting to run out. It’s not really the heat that’s dangerous in the midday, it’s the strong sun rays that easily burn you if you have as much as an inch of exposed skin. It doesn’t matter how used your skin is to the sun, you’ll still blister. It truly is a miracle Kyungsoo had been alive when they first found him. 

The buildings are slowly growing more and more intact and if he squints Chanyeol can make out whole structures in front of him. He elbows Jongin gently in the side and points at them. Next to him Jongin nods and they quicken their pace. The sun is starting to burn against his exposed hands and the air is getting rough to breathe, the dust count high in the air today.

“There is someone else there!” Go-un calls, pointing towards the buildings. Between them, out on the street, are two, no three, figures, swaying lightly. Chanyeol frowns, trying to make out what it is he’s seeing. It does indeed look like more travelers. Go-un raises an arm, waving at them. 

There is no wave back. 

A gust of air steals away Jongin’s cap and Chanyeol startles, reaching out to grab it but it flies through his fingers, landing a few meters away from them. The strangers are momentarily forgotten as he joins Jongin in picking up the cap, commenting quietly on how strong the wind is today. 

“Hyung.” Kyungsoo’s deep voice calls out to him and Chanyeol turns around. Kyungsoo is still facing towards the buildings but his hand is held out towards the two of them, quickly beckoning them towards him. Go-un is in front of him, walking towards the strangers with hands in the air to get their attention. By now Chanyeol can spot five strangers, except they look a little strange. 

“Hyung are we sure those are people.” Kyungsoo says, hand coming to rest on the gun strapped across his chest. Jongin walks up next to them, frowning towards the figures in the distance. There’s six of them now. Chanyeol cranes his neck. They look a little tall, and they move weirdly, almost as if they have more than two legs. 

Next to him Jongin raises his gun, looking down the scope. The wind picks up again, a strong gust hitting the trio in the face and with it travels a sound that makes Chanyeol’s blood turn cold. An whining screech and the sound of too many footsteps to mean anything but one thing. 

“Crawlers.” Jongin gasps in the next second. 

“Go-un!” Chanyeol calls, waving at the girl who’s managed to move almost fifty meters away from them already. “Crawlers! Go-un!” The girl stops, turning around towards Chanyeol for a brief moment before casting a look behind herself. A moment later she’s sprinting. 

“RUN!” Jongin screams and Chanyeol sets off, turning on his heel and running back the way they came from, away from the quickly approaching threat. Kyungsoo has already set off, his short legs carrying him surprisingly quickly in front of Chanyeol. 

The wind whips in his face, tearing his cap off his head but Chanyeol doesn’t care. He can burn all his hair out for all he cares, he just wants to get away from the Crawlers. He can hear them come closer behind him, the thuds of their hand like fleet chasing him and making him run harder. It has to be a whole hoard behind them for them to make this much noise. A whole hoard of Crawlers. And they’re four people with three guns and 12 clips. They’re never going to survive if they don’t find shelter anywhere. 

“We need shelter!” He screams, hoping the others hear him. The whines of the Crawlers behind them increase, mixing together with the wind howling in his ears and creating a sound mat that seems to fill his head, pushing out all thoughts except for shelter. We need shelter. Where is shelter?

“There!” Jongin screams, pointing towards the distance. A square silhouette stands out against the blurry background and Chanyeol squints to make it out. Everything is blending together, the sound of his feet hitting the ground mixing with the building rumble behind them, the brown of the ground mixing with the crumbled buildings and dusty air. 

The ground is uneven beneath their feet, the rubble of buildings creating a recipe for disaster. Chanyeol stumbles, hands flailing as he tries to right himself and by some miraculous chance he regains his footing, continuing through the rubble. He can see Jongin struggle through the corner of his eye and in front of him Kyungsoo has to set down a hand to keep from falling. 

They manage to stay on their feet but the constant stumbling has decreased their speed significantly and Chanyeol doesn’t dare to look behind himself, afraid to see how much ground the Crawlers have already won. 

“Where Jongin!?” Kyungsoo calls, head whipping side to side as he tries to locate the silhouette they are heading towards. Chanyeol lets his eyes search the horizon for a short moment before he has to look down again to keep from tumbling. The structure is gone, the horizon nothing more than a brown blur. 

“Forwards!” Jongin answers, grabbing Chanyeol’s hand and pulling him along. It’s a little easier for them both with the extra support and they start to gain on Kyungsoo again who’s much nimbler than them. He is clearly used to the uneven surfaces. 

“Where!?” Kyungsoo asks again, hitting flat ground and crossing the street in record time before he’s tackling the next collapsed building. 

“FORWARDS!” Jongin screams. Chanyeol casts a look to his side, seeing Jongin’s wide eyes behind the sunglasses and it doesn’t take him more than a second to figure out that Jongin too has lost sight of their goal. But they have no other choice than to continue forwards and hope for the best. 

Something loud crunches behind them, pebbles flying past them and Chanyeol hears himself call out in shock. The Crawlers must be right behind them, already climbing over the broken buildings. But what about Go-un? His stomach churns. It must already be too late for her. Left behind at the mercy of the Crawler hoard. How cruel of them. 

The next second a large hand lands next to him with a bang loud enough to make the ground shake. He stumbles, Jongin’s hand pulling him upright and when he looks up the next second he can see a Crawler right next to him. 

It stands three meters tall, it’s eight legs moving with speed that should be impossible for something that large. It’s forgone it’s creeping walking on the tips of its fingers for full out sprinting, palms at the end of its legs slamming into the ground with each step. 

It has passed them before Chanyeol can fully register what is happening. The long legs easily climb over the uneven ground, carrying it forward at a neck breaking speed. Right towards Kyungsoo. 

“No!” Chanyeol gasps as the first Crawler leg lands barely a foot in front of Kyungsoo, making the smaller stumble and fall. He can already see it, see how it lowers its body down over Kyungsoo to devour him in one single bite. 

But that doesn’t happen. Instead it continues forwards over Kyungsoo and towards an unknown goal. The next second two more appear in his field of vision, these too rushing forwards with no regard of the humans in their midst. 

Kyungsoo scrambles, regaining his footing a little shakily and then he’s off again. Chanyeol can’t help it. He has to know what is going on. What could possibly be having Crawlers behaving this way? His mind immediately goes to a Passenger and he prays to everything that’s holy that when he turns around he will not be seeing an icy blue eye staring back at him. 

What appears behind him is much worse. Much much worse. 

A wall off dust has just appeared on the horizon, traveling towards them at a steady pace. It will be over them in a matter of minutes and if they can’t find any shelter they will be dead before they can draw a full breath of the dust cloud. The hoard Crawlers seem to have realized the same thing, running as quickly as they can away from the nearing wall. 

“SAND STORM!” Chanyeol screams and he can feel the speed of which Jongin whips around to take a look. 

“Fuck!” The grip on his hand tightens and Chanyeol pushes forwards, using everything he got to keep moving. Around them more and more Crawlers appear, heavy hands sometimes landing bare inches away from him. He casts another look behind himself, noting with a sinking feeling in his gut that the dust wall is gaining on them. 

Out of the corner of his eye something purple glints and the next second Go-un appears, even further back than she had been when they started running. The sight still has Chanyeol filling with hope. They’re all still alive. They’re alive and they’re going to stay alive. He wants to wave at her to hurry up but Jongin tugging on his hand has him turning away. 

In front of them Kyungsoo is pointing at something, screaming but the ever constant rumble of Crawlers and the rushing of wind drowns him out. Still Chanyeol understands what he wants. The silhouette has appeared in front of them once more and this time it’s more clear what it is. 

The square pillars stand like a beacon of hope for them, signaling the entrance to a metro station and for the first time in his life Chanyeol is excited to see such a sight. If they can get into there they’ll be safe. The dust storm can’t possibly reach them in the metro. 

“Go-un!” He calls, cast a quick look behind himself but failing to spot her. Still he points towards the pillar, hoping against all odds she will see it. They’re going to survive this. All four of them. They have to. 

Kyungsoo reaches the pillar ten seconds later, almost falling down the stairs in his haste to get to the entrance. Jongin and Chanyeol are not far behind, reaching the stairs as Kyungsoo has started to search for the entrance at the bottom of the stairs.

Chanyeol stops, letting go of Jongin’s hand as the younger rushes down to help Kyungsoo. He looks back, looking for the same glint of purple as earlier. The dust cloud is barely a minute away and he can feel his heart pound hard enough against his rib cage he’s afraid it will break free. But he can’t abandon her. It isn’t right. It doesn’t matter how much he might dislike her for her annoying flirting or constant clinging. When a dust cloud is approaching nothing like that matters. All that matters is surviving and he’s not going to ruin her chances of surviving for something as petty as jealousy. 

“Go-un!” He spots her. She’s stumbling over some buildings about 100 meters away, heading towards him. Good, she must have spotted him. 

“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo screams and Chanyeol casts a look behind him. The door to the metro is open, Kyungsoo already halfway through it and Jongin next to him. Both of them are looking up at Chanyeol like he’s crazy. 

“We have to wait for Go-un!” He calls back. 

“Fuck her!” Kyungsoo screams, waving at Chanyeol to come. He shakes his head, turning back towards Go-un who is come closer. She’ll be with them in just a few seconds, they can wait. It’s no problem. They can wait. 

“Chanyeol come on!” Jongin screams. 

“She’s almost here!” He screams back, throwing out his arm towards her. Jongin leaves Kyungsoo’s side, rushing up the stairs towards Chanyeol. The taller turns back around just in time to see Go-un stumble. 

She flies forwards, landing heavily on her front. He head bangs against the ground and Chanyeol can clearly make out the red splatter it leaves behind. He’s moving before he’s really registering what he’s doing, set on helping her. 

“Chanyeol!” A hand grabs his backpack, stopping him and jerking him backwards. Jongin grabs his arm the next second, pulling him towards the stairs. “We don’t have time!” He spits, harshly tugging Chanyeol towards the stairs. 

“We can’t leave her!” Chanyeol screams, struggling against the hold on his arm. The iron grip won’t budge.

“Yes we can!” Jongin snaps, grabbing hold of his shirt with his other hand and pulling him even more roughly. They’re back by the stairs . 

“She’ll die.” Chanyeol argues, casting a look back at her. She’s trying to get back on her feet, her legs clearly unstable from the blow to her head. 

“ _We’ll_ die!” Jongin gives another harsh tug and a second later a Crawler appears behind Go-un. It’s over in a moment. The large hand rushes down towards the prone form and leaves the next second, palm bloodied. Chanyeol can hear the crunch Go-un’s skull makes as it is crushed despite not being able to pick out a single sound before that. He blinks and then the scene disappears from his view as Jongin pulls him down the stairs. 

“About fucking time!” Kyungsoo hisses as he’s pushed inside the metro and then darkness descends over him, shutting of the howling wind and rumble of Crawler feet. 

It’s pitch black for a long second before a flashlight flickers to life, casting a cold white light over the three of them. Kyungsoo holds out the flashlight for one of them to take and Jongin reaches out and almost snatches it out of his hands. The tension is high among them, adrenaline still rushing through their veins. Kyungsoo thrusts another flashlights in Chanyeol’s hands, this one with a pale yellow light and pulls out another one from his bag for himself. 

“Wow, that was close.” Chanyeol says with a slight chuckle, hoping to dispel some of the tension.

“And who’s fault was that?” Jongin snaps, fumbling to remove his face mask and sunglasses and packing them down into his backpack. Chanyeol gapes, looking at the youngest with a frown. 

“Hardly mine.” He mutters, feeling a little taken aback by Jongin’s sudden harshness. 

“It was.” Kyungsoo says, face blank as always as he fiddles with his backpack. He’s pulled out gloves for himself and the green scarf he always seem to have at hand and is fiddling with the metal lunch box containing his map and other valuables. 

Chanyeol takes a step back from the group, feeling like he’s looking at strangers. He shakes his head, drawing a deep breath and trying to stop the anger from rising in his chest. 

“You can’t be serious?” He asks, looking at Jongin who is still fuming. “You guys can’t be serious? Go-un died! _I_ was the only one who tried to save her.” He argues, pointing towards the door leading to the outside. 

“You were trying to get us all killed!” Jongin snaps, taking a step towards him. 

“I was trying to _save_ her!” Chanyeol growls, him too taking a step forwards. Jongin doesn’t back down. 

“You could have died! You do realize that do you? You could have gotten yourself killed for some girl we’ve known for four days!” Jongin spits and Chanyeol flinches at the harsh tone in his voice. He’s never seen Jongin this angry before, not even when he used to lash out after Sehun’s death and honestly it scares him a little. 

“So I should have left her to die!?” He questions harshly, hoping to force some sense into the younger’s head. 

“Yes you fucking should have!” Jongin replies without a moment of hesitation. 

“You selfish assho-” Chanyeol starts but Jongin interuppts him, grabbing the straps of his backpack and bringing him up until he’s bare inches away from the other’s face. 

“ _Fuck_ you and your selflessness Chanyeol! How can you even think about getting yourself killed in order to save some stranger?!” He shakes Chanyeol, making the taller stumble. 

“My life isn’t worth more than hers.” Chanyeol argues weakly, too shocked about Jongin’s behaviour to muster up some real force behind his words. 

“Yes it is! To me it is! To Kyungsoo it is! How can you even think about hurting us like that?” Jongin asks, voice cracking at the last syllable and Chanyeol looks down, meeting Jongin’s eyes. There is a desperation in his eyes that shakes Chanyeol to the core, making him want to wrap Jongin up in his arms and promise him that everything will be alright. 

“She was that important to someone.” Chanyeol whispers and Jongin shakes him again, rougher this time. 

“But not to us!” He says, his voice echoing through the empty room. “Call me selfish or whatever you want Chanyeol but nothing’s going to change the fact that you are my world. You owe it to me to be that selfish in return!” He pleads, looking up at Chanyeol with big eyes. 

“I’m not- I can’t be that selfish Jongin.” Chanyeol’s voice is weak. Jongin presses his face against Chanyeol chest, drawing in a deep breath. 

“Please.” He begs quietly. Chanyeol blinks, slowly wrapping his arms around Jongin. He feels guilty, both for letting Go-un die and for making Jongin this scared. He licks his lips, hoping to find the right words to say. 

“I’ll try.” He whispers, feeling Jongin’s hands fist themselves in his shirt. Jongin nods, mumbling something that sounds like ‘thanks’ against his chest. Chanyeol bends down to press a kiss against the younger’s hair, whispering a quiet apology. He can’t promise anything but for Jongin he’ll try. He would walk through fire for Jongin. 

Kyungsoo’s hand appears in his field of vision, gently running through the hair at the nape of Jongin’s neck. It’s a small gesture but it seems to do be just what Jongin needs. The younger’s shoulders slowly relax, hands flattening against Chanyeol’s chest. 

They stay like that for a few minutes, Chanyeol quietly apologizing once more, meeting Kyungsoo’s eyes for a short moment. The smaller simply nods but he can tell from the look in Kyungsoo’s eyes that he’s agreeing with Jongin. 

“Come on.” Kyungsoo says, removing his hand from Jongin’s hair. “I couldn’t figure out which station we ended up in but there should be some signs down by the platforms. We’ll walk the rest of the way to the Terminal through the metro.” He declares and Chanyeol nods, pushing slightly at Jongin’s shoulders to get the younger to stand on his own. Jongin nods too, looking more composed than he did before and even mustering up a smile to Chanyeol. Chanyeol grins in return. 

“So this is where you’re from?” Jongin asks, clearing his throat to get the croak out of it. Kyungsoo nods, shining his flashlight along the walls and floors. 

They’re in a large open space, pillars strewn about supporting the layers of earth above them. There is a stuffiness to the air down here, a smell Chanyeol has never really felt before. It’s almost wet and once he starts thinking about it it makes it almost hard to breathe. The air down here is colder, probably the same temperature as during nightfall but the coldness seems to lack the promise of heat that the night always holds. 

He turns around, letting his flashlight trail along the walls. There is another entrance to their right, also barred off by a heavy metal gate that completely blocks the light and warmth of the outside. In front of their entrance about 30 meters in front of them are more stairs diving deeper underground. The stairs are sectioned off from the rest of the entrance hall by ticket controlls, person high glass gates stopping anyone from entry without a ticket. 

“It’s probably uninhabited.” Kyungsoo says, pulling his backpack back onto his back and beginning to walk towards the stairs. Jongin and Chanyeol follow, the beams from their flashlights dancing across the walls. There are empty frames on most of the walls, yellow, crumpled mushes at the bottom of them. Probably posters that have long since rotted in the moist air. 

“Do you guys live here?” Chanyeol asks, trying to imagine what the space they are in would look like full of people. Do they all share the same space? If not how do they section it off? Have they built small rooms all over the entrance hall? Kyungsoo is so private so he has a hard time imagining him sharing living and sleeping space with a station full of people. 

“No. We live further down, in the arcades and main halls.” Kyungsoo explains. He’s reached one of the ticket controls and is trying to pry his fingers between the two glass doors. With a small grunt he manages, forcing the gates to slide apart before stepping through. Jongin follows right behind and Chanyeol after him, holding back the urge to examine the machine further. 

“How far down?” Jongin asks as they near the stairs. Kyungsoo simply rises his flashlight, shining down over the edge of the stairs. Chanyeol hurries forwards, peaking down towards the depth. It’s deeper than he could have ever imagined, the stairs stretching out towards infinity. The light from the flashlight doesn’t reach all the way down to the bottom despite it being the strongest out of the three and the horrible thought that maybe the stairs never ends fills Chanyeol. 

“Wow.” Jongin whispers, a hint of hesitance in his voice. Chanyeol can only nod. It feels like they’re standing at the edge of the world, the stairs in front of them leading them down into another universe. Maybe it is the gates to hell, disguised as a ticket control and some stairs. 

Kyungsoo seems to sense their apprehensiveness because he laughs in the next moment, aiming his flashlight at them with a bright grin. The sound startles Chanyeol out of his train of thought, tearing his eyes away from the stairs as he turns towards Kyungsoo. 

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of some stairs when you face the sky every day.” Kyungsoo teases and the other’s relaxed posture and comfort in the pressing darkness makes Chanyeol relax. This is Kyungsoo’s realm after all, if he’s calm here that means there is nothing to be afraid of. 

“We’re not scared.” Jongin pouts and Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow before taking the first step down the stairs. Chanyeol forces his leg to move, foot landing with a small thud on the dust filled stairs. It’s like a spell is broken and suddenly the stairs are just that, stairs. Nothing different from the many stairs back in Yeouido. Jongin seems to experience the same thing, taking a few steps at a time as he cranes his neck to look further down into the depth. 

Kyungsoo’s flashlight guides the way, his calm demeanor creating a bubble of comfort around the trio. The walk down the stairs passes in silence, Jongin and Chanyeol’s flashlights gliding over the walls and ceiling of the tunnel downwards with amazement. It’s truly like entering another world. 

If he focuses Chanyeol can imagine the bustle of life that must have been traveling through the station before the bombs fell. He can imagine people running up and down, hurrying to work or trains that are soon to depart. The now broken lights hanging from the ceiling must have filled the whole place with light, maybe even to the point where it had looked like the sun was shining in here. He wonders what it must have sounded like. Their footsteps echoes through the space and he imagines that sound hundred times over mixed in with people talking. It must have been almost deafening, the place truly alive with the energy of people. 

“Are the trains loud?” He asks, trying to imagine what a train would sound like. He’s only seen one in pictures, the almost worm like vehicle like nothing else he’s seen before. He had believed them to be almost silent, snaking along the track stealthily. Now however he feels like the trains should be loud, matching the rest of the sounds he imagines in the metro. 

“I don’t know.” Kyungsoo confesses. “I’ve never seen a running one. I imagine quiet though. The handcars we use are mostly quiet except for the lever.” He explains and Chanyeol nods, trying to work a quiet train into his fantasy. 

“Handcars?” He asks and Kyungsoo nods. 

“They’re like platforms with a two way lever in the middle. You can pump the lever and move them on the tracks. Most merchants use them to transport goods.” He explains and Chanyeol nods, imagining small handcars holding just one family traveling alongside the long snaking trains. He can’t really figure out what they look like from Kyungsoo’s description but then again this is all so foreign. It probably looks nothing like anything he’s used to. 

They reach the bottom of the stairs a moment later and a long tunnel opens up in front of them, disappearing into the darkness some 30 meters in front of them. Kyungsoo stops for a moment, turning around and looks back up the stairs. 

“Something wrong?” Jongin asks and the shorter shakes his head. 

“No...I’m just trying to figure out which station we’re at. This is a underpass tunnel. It’s probably one of the newer station entrances. I might not have it marked on my map.” He muses, turning back around before continuing forwards as if it’s nothing. Chanyeol joins him, trusting Kyungsoo to know what they’re dealing with here. 

Down here are some traces left from people traveling before them. They pass a pile of mouldy blankets laying next to some cans, a clear sign of someone’s camp from long ago, along with newspapers from before, the papers long since made unreadable. There are some writing on the walls, mostly just comments about people having been there and numbers to call but one of the most interesting scribbles they walk past is a price list for ammunition and grilled rat, a clear sign someone used to run a small shop there before. 

Chanyeol wonders where everyone has gone. The station seems like a rather nice place to live at but what does Chanyeol know. It’s probably pretty crappy if people decided to abandon it. He wonders what the inhabited stations must look like. Maybe it’s like at Seoul City hall, people everywhere and proper stores selling wares. 

The walk through the underpass tunnel turns out to be a pretty long one but finally, after 10 minutes of walking, the tunnel opens up into the main hall of their station. They exit from an arcade at the very end of the hall, to their direct left are giant stairs leading upwards, probably to the main entrance for the station. They’re metallic and look awkward to walk in, the steps just slightly too high. Kyungsoo explains that they are escalators and that they used to move on their own, carrying people up and down. 

To the right of them the main hall stretches out, the backmost wall hidden in the darkness. Chanyeol can spot more arcade openings leading to other tunnels lining the side of the hall and figures this is where the main bustle of an inhabited station must be. He imagines the main fire to be lit in the middle of the large main hall, lighting it up and groups of people sitting around it, laughing and talking about their day. 

“Come one, there should be a station name somewhere on one of the platforms.” Kyungsoo says, walking out into the large room. Chanyeol and Jongin follow, watching as Kyungsoo’s flashlight illuminate a large sign hanging from the ceiling. There are two arrows on it pointing to the left and the right. They’re labeled eastbound and westbound and Kyungsoo looks between the arcade openings on each side before picking the westbound direction. They enter another arcade, this tunnel much smaller than the previous one. It reminds Chanyeol of the corridors back in the highrise except it’s much darker and dirtier, but that’s to be expected of a corridor not in use. 

A moment later the platform open up in front of them and Chanyeol gasps, stopping to take in the sight in front of him. There are colours here, more than he’s seen in ages. The walls of the platform are lined with light blue tiles and a line of deep maroon runs through it at shoulder height. The curved ceiling is covered in white tile, reflecting the light of his flashlight back at him. At the edge of the platform, right before the drop down to the tracks, is a yellow line, looking like it runs along the entire length of the room. He can’t see either end of the platform and the urge to follow the yellow line as far as he can to both the right and the left fills him. 

“It’s beautiful.” He gasps, letting his flashlight dance over the walls and ceiling again. He hears Kyungsoo chuckle next to him and turns to look at the smaller. There is a fond look in his eyes, his cheeks scrunched up in a large smile and Chanyeol thinks the only thing more beautiful than the station at that moment is Kyungsoo. 

“You like it?” He asks and Chanyeol nods, turning his eyes back towards the light blue tile on the wall. He reaches out, letting his hand run over the ceramics. It’s cold and his fingers come back sticky with a layer of oil and dust but he still loves it. Kyungsoo reaches out next to him, pointing towards the maroon line cutting through the blue. 

“The colour indicate which line we’re on. Brown means Bonghwasan. Most likely we’re on Yaksu station. There should be a connection to the Daehwa-line back in the main hall. From there the Terminal is only about...six stations away I think.” Kyungsoo explains. Chanyeol nods, following the line with his fingers. 

“How do you know we’re on Yaksu?” Chanyeol asks, looking around himself. He’s seen no name anywhere. 

“It would make sense with where we were up top, I think. Also, most of the stations on Bonghwasan inside the ring are uninhabited but there were some signs of people having been here back in the underpass. The orange part of Yaksu is inhabited so it would make sense for people to venture here sometimes.” He explains. “We might be eastwards of Yaksu though, but then there should only be a station or two before we reach it.” 

Chanyeol nods, taking a step back and looking around the station once more. Kyungsoo looks around too, searching the walls for a station name. Chanyeol walks over to the tracks, shining his flashlight down into the small drop. The rail travels alongside the platform, three orange metal lines running over the ground. Underneath them are wooden planks, some of them so rotten they’re almost gone and others almost intact. It’s not nearly as interesting as the colours and Chanyeol turns back towards the platform. 

Jongin are a few meters further down the station, seeming just as fascinated by the sight as Chanyeol is. His hand trail along the maroon line as his flashlight does broad sweeps over the platform. Kyungsoo trails slightly behind him, flashlight aimed steadily towards the wall. Chanyeol decides to follow them, stepping on the yellow line leading down the platform and letting it guide him. 

“Is that the name?” Jongin asks, flashlight aimed at a white square in the wall lined with the maroon tile at little bit further down the platform. Kyungsoo speeds up, overtaking Jongin. It seems to be what they’re looking from and Chanyeol moves away from the line, jogging slightly to catch up with the other two. 

“Hang-ang-jin.” Jongin reads out loud, flashlight travelling down the three syllables as he reads them. Next to him Kyungsoo is quiet, his flashlight locked to the name. Chanyeol tilts his head to the side as he regards the name. He’s never heard of the station before but then again, he’s hardly heard of any metro station. 

“We need to leave.” Kyungsoo says, his words curt. “We need to leave, now. We need to get back to the surface.” He says, grabbing hold of Jongin and starting to pull him back towards the arcade they entered from. 

“What?” Jongin asks, letting himself get dragged along. Chanyeol follows hesitantly, eyes flickering back to the station name. 

“We need to go. Quickly!” Kyungsoo repeats, speeding up. Jongin pulls his arm free, taking a step back when Kyungsoo tries to grab it again. 

“What do you mean leave?” He asks and Chanyeol nods, looking around the station. As far as he can see there is nothing out of the ordinary here. And if there had been Kyungsoo would have noticed it before. 

“We need to get back to the surface.” Kyungsoo says, reaching out to grab Jongin again but the younger easily evades it. There is an urgency to his voice and he keeps casting looks around himself as if he’s expecting to spot something in the darkness. 

“We can’t go back there. There is a dust storm outside.” Chanyeol protests. Kyungsoo doesn’t reply, once more trying to grab hold of Jongin. The youngest takes another step away, hiding slightly behind Chanyeol. Kyungsoo changes his target, grabbing hold of Chanyeol wrist and pulling at him. He refuses to move. 

“We _need_ to go. Now.” Kyungsoo insists, he’s almost barking out the words now. There is annoyance in his eyes but behind it something deeper hides. Chanyeol can’t catch his eyes for long enough to find it though, Kyungsoo is still throwing looks around himself as if he’s expecting them to get ambushed at any moment. 

“No. No we’re staying here.” Chanyeol says. 

“Please!” Kyungsoo interrupts, pulling roughly at Chanyeol’s wrist. It’s starting to hurt a little. 

“Tell us what’s going on.” Jongin orders, still hanging back behind Chanyeol. Chanyeol nods, letting Kyungsoo continue with his tries to get Chanyeol to move. 

“This is Hangangjin. _Hangangjin_. We can’t stay here. We need to get back to the surface.” He says as if it explains anything. Chanyeol frowns, trying to figure out the connection between the station name and why they can’t stay here. He can’t think of any. 

“We can’t go back to the surface. The dust storm would kill us in an instant.” He explains slowly, trying to hold Kyungsoo’s flickering gaze so he can know that the words get heard. Kyungsoo shakes his head again, yanking roughly at Chanyeol’s wrist once more. 

“We have to leave. _Now_.” He repeats and Chanyeol pulls his wrist free from Kyungsoo before the other can do any real damage. 

“We’re not getting back to the surface. Here is clearly safer.” He says with a finality in his voice and Kyungsoo lets out a frustrated sound, spinning around a turn while running his free hand through his hair. Once he faces Chanyeol once more he does another lunge towards the older’s wrist but this time it’s Chanyeol who grabs Kyungsoo. 

“Listen Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol starts slowly, bending down slightly to look into Kyungsoo’s eyes. “We’re not going back to the surface and that’s that.” He speaks, tightening his hold on the smaller’s wrist. Kyungsoo’s eyes continue to flicker side to side, the frustrated set of his eyebrows accentuated by the stream of small sighs and groans leaving his lips. 

“We can’t stay here.” Kyungsoo says, meeting Chanyeol’s eyes head on for a moment. Behind the annoyance and frustration hides something Chanyeol’s never really seen in Kyungsoo before. It’s instinctive, that much he can tell, and it’s urgent. He decides to give the smaller a chance to explain himself. 

“Why?” He asks and Kyungsoo groans again, looking ready to tear his hair out by the roots. “Why can’t we stay here.” 

“This is Hangangjin.” Kyungsoo rushes out. “This- we’re not many enough. We can’t stay here. We need to move.” It looks like that’s all the explanation Chanyeol is going to get and he guesses it will have to do. Well if they can’t stay here and they can’t return to the surface the only thing left to do is move through the tunnels. That had been their plan coming down after all. 

“Alright. We’ll leave through the tunnels then.” Chanyeol says and Kyungsoo looks torn, looking between Chanyeol, the tracks by their side and the arcade leading back to the main hall. He shifts on his feet, mouth opening and closing a few times before he stills. 

“Fine. But we’re going right now.” He says, voice steady once more. He meets Chanyeol’s gaze and all the tallers sees now is determination. 

“You lead the way.” Chanyeol says, letting go of Kyungsoo’s wrist and straightening back up. Kyungsoo nods, pulling out his map from a side pocket in his backpack and flipping it open. Jongin peaks out from behind Chanyeol, looking just as confused by Kyungsoo’s odd behaviour as Chanyeol feels. 

“We can’t go through Beotigogae, Yaksu blew up that station years ago.” Kyungsoo mumbles, mostly to himself. “Samgakji is through the westbound tunnel.” He nods, tucking his map back into the pocket with none to gentle hands. 

“We’re going through that tunnel.” He says, pointing his flashlight down the tunnel opening going the direction they came from. “We’re going to go quickly, no stopping no matter what.” He turns back to Chanyeol and Jongin and sends them a glare. Chanyeol nods after a moment, showing he’s listening. 

“Let’s go.” Kyungsoo says, turning back around and walking away on quick legs. Chanyeol startles, following after a moment. Jongin does the same, sending a look at Chanyeol as if asking him what’s going on. Chanyeol shrugs, starting to get a little creeped out by Kyungsoo’s weird behaviour. 

The shorter jumps down to the tracks with practiced ease and Jongin follows gracefully. Chanyeol takes a leap, the air rushing past him as he falls the short distance to the tacks. He stumbles as his feet land on the ground but manages to get his bearings without too much of his pride hurt. Jongin laughs at him, pointing it out to Kyungsoo but the shorter is already walking towards the tunnel open. 

They have to jog to catch up and Chanyeol can feel the annoyance start to build in him again. He thought things would be different with Kyungsoo now that they are all together but the shorter is still just as secretive about what’s going on in his head as before. Chanyeol wishes he could just forgo his pride and tell them. Both Jongin and himself trust Kyungsoo but trust is a two way street.

“Kyungsoo slow down.” He sighs. The shorter does nothing of the sort. 

“What part of quickly don’t you understand?” He snaps back and Chanyeol rolls his eyes. If they keep going this pace they’re not going to be able to go on for too long before they need a rest. Surely Kyungsoo can see this too. 

The tunnel towards Samgakji open up before them and much to Chanyeol’s surprise Kyungsoo stops, hesitating at the border between platform and tunnel. 

“Take my hand.” He says, holding out his hand. Chanyeol raises an eyebrow, looking down at the outstretched hand. 

“If you’re scared you just have to say so.” He teases, hoping to lighten Kyungsoo’s mood a little. 

“Take my hand!” Kyungsoo snaps, reaching out in an instant and grabbing Chanyeol’s free hand. “Jongin you grab Chanyeol’s hand. Don’t let go no matter what you do.” He says, glaring at the youngest. Jongin nods, a dissatisfied pout on his lips. Still he obediently takes the flashlight from Chanyeol’s hand and grab it with his free. The extra flashlight he puts in Chanyeol’s bag. Satisfied with the arrangement Kyungsoo nods and starts walking, pulling Chanyeol along. 

The tunnel isn’t any different from the underpass tunnel they walked through before. The biggest difference is the cylindrical shape of the tunnel and the dark walls. Kyungsoo’s flashlight lights up their path, the light sometimes reflecting back at them from a puddle on the ground but other than that there is nothing of interest in their path. 

Jongin’s flashlight is dancing along the wall in the same fashion it had done before, taking in the pipes running along the sides and sometimes staying on one of the wooden planks by their feet. The uneven ground makes it a little hard to walk, Chanyeol’s toes catching on rocks and the wood every once in awhile. 

“Still with us Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks after barely a minute of walking and Jongin hums noncommittally. His flashlight studying a door leading to a room at the side of the tunnel. Chanyeol cranes his neck to keep it within his sight for as long as possible. He wonders where it leads, maybe to another track? To the eastbound tunnel possibly. That would make sense. 

“Jongin?!” Kyungsoo snaps, stopping and shining his flashlight in the youngest’s face. Jongin blinks, shielding his eyes from the bright light. 

“I’m here alright.” Jongin snaps back, blinking to get the light spots out of his vision. 

“I would prefer it if you answered next time.” Kyungsoo says, softer this time. His hand squeezes Chanyeol’s and Chanyeol instinctively squeezes back. This seems to do the trick because the next moment Kyungsoo is walking again, flashlight once more aimed forwards. 

Jongin mutters something under his breath, pout still clear on his lips despite the darkness surrounding them. Chanyeol gives his hand a squeeze too, offering up a small smile and hoping it’s enough to keep them from getting into another argument. 

They continue their walk through the darkness, the flash light barely illuminating 20 meters in front of them. Kyungsoo keeps asking if Jongin is still with them and Jongin clearly answers yes each time. The air seems thicker in the tunnel, the smell Chanyeol scented when he had first entered the metro returning to him with full blast. He starts breathing through his mouth, hoping to stop the wet heavy air from overpowering his nose too much. There is a dull ache behind his brows and he puts it down to everything that has happened together with the strange smell and the constant need to squint in the dim light. 

Next to him Jongin seems to be having the same problem, his previous curiosity of the tunnel exchanged for a dull look of annoyance. His flashlight is aimed towards the ground, lighting up any rocks that might get in their way. The only one who seem unaffected by the metro is Kyungsoo. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise though, the shorter has lived all of his life in these tunnels after all. 

The walk through the tunnel quickly becomes mind numbing. It looks the same no matter where Chanyeol looks and the feeling of walking endlessly without moving at all soon overcomes him. The only sign that they make any sort of progress are the few bugs he sometimes comes across on the ground. He tries to squash at least one underneath his boots every time, searching for the squashed bug when he comes across another cluster of beatles. Good, then he knows he’s not walking in circles. 

“Finally.” Jongin sighs next to him and Chanyeol looks up, seeing an end to the tunnel. A moment later they arrive at another platform, this one just as empty as Hangangjin. He sighs, shoulders relaxing now that he’s finally out of the long tunnel. He makes a move to let go of Kyungsoo’s hand but the smaller gives it a harsh squeeze. 

“We’re continuing.” He says and there is no room for argument in his voice. Jongin sighs tiredly next to him but obediently continues on. His flashlight travels over the tunnel walls and Chanyeol is slightly disappointed to see this one is covered in gray tile from floor to ceiling with the exception of the maroon line. Just like back at the previous platform there is a square with the station name in the middle. Itaewon this one reads and Chanyeol lets out a noise of recognition. 

“Itaewon. That’s the highrise we slept in last night.” He comments, stalling behind and trying to peer into one of the archades. Kyungsoo roughly tugs on his hand and Chanyeol holds back a sigh of his own. He just wants to explore a little. Is that really too much to ask for? 

They have passed the platform in less than a minute and are back into the tunnel. The air presses down on Chanyeol once more and Jongin’s flashlight returns to the ground. The silence stretches out in front of them, even the sound of their footsteps seeming to be eaten by the darkness surrounding them. 

Kyungsoo keeps asking about Jongin and Jongin keeps answering, the question and answer seeming to be as much a part of the tunnel as the train tracks for Chanyeol after a while. He keeps giving Kyungsoo’s hand a squeeze every once in awhile, hoping the gesture will make the other finally explain to them why he’s in such a rush. 

He blinks, squinting out into the darkness and trying to find any point of reference that isn’t wall, tracks or wooden planks. Even the bugs have are gone now, the tunnel truly empty. How did Kyungsoo even survive this, traveling through the tunnels on his own like this. He must be really good at entertaining himself because Chanyeol feels about two seconds away from being bored to death. Please, just give him some stimuli. 

Jongin makes a soft noise next to him and Chanyeol looks over, noting how the younger is looking down at his shoe. He follows his gaze but notices nothing and guesses it had just been Jongin stepping on something. He looks back up, searching the small area Kyungsoo’s flashlight is lighting up. Even the light seems dark somehow. He misses the sun. 

“Yeol.” Jongin whispers in his ear. Chanyeol looks over, meeting Jongin’s eyes. “I need to tie my shoe. I’ll catch up to you.” He says and Chanyeol frowns, gesturing towards Kyungsoo who’s completely oblivious to their conversation. “It’ll only take a minute.” Jongin says and Chanyeol nods, letting go of Jongin’s hand. 

They light of Jongin’s flashlight quickly leave them but Chanyeol knows the younger can handle himself. Besides, they’ll be back together in a moment. It’s not like you can lose someone in a tunnel. 

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo asks like clockwork. 

“He’s just tying his shoe.” Chanyeol answers and Kyungsoo stops so abruptly that he almost walks right into the smaller. 

“You let go of him?” Kyungsoo asks, turning back towards Chanyeol with wide eyes. Chanyeol nods, holding up his free hand as if proving it. “Did you not listen to a word I said?” Kyungsoo growls, pushing past Chanyeol. The taller turns around, noting with a frown he can’t see Jongin’s flashlight anymore. Had they really walked that much between Jongin letting go and now?

“Where is he?!” Kyungsoo asks, pulling at Chanyeol’s hand. “When did he let go?” His flashlight flick over the walls, searching every inch for a sign of Jongin. 

“Like...twenty seconds ago or something.” Chanyeol answers, craning his neck to look for Jongin. Kyungsoo begins jogging, loudly calling out for Jongin. The noise is swallowed by the tunnel a moment later. Chanyeol is forced to follow, a small ball of anxiety starting to grow in his middle. They should be seeing the light of Jongin’s flashlight by now. Unless Jongin turned it off, but why would he do that?

“Jongin?” Chanyeol calls out. Next to him Kyungsoo is running his flashlight over the tunnel with such speed Chanyeol can barely make out what it lights up. Kyungsoo needs to calm down, what if they miss Jongin. 

“Jongin!” Chanyeol calls again, beginning to feel a little desperate. They should have definitely come across him by now. There is no way he let go this far back. Where could he have gone? There is no way to go except forwards towards Samgakji or back the way they came from. Kyungsoo is no better in front of him, his voice cracking as he calls out for the youngest. 

“I’m right here.” Comes Jongin’s calm reply and suddenly he appears as if out of nowhere. He’s kneeled down on the ground, his shoelaces in his hands and a calm look on his face. 

“Oh god.” Kyungsoo breathes, the air seeming to go out of him as he steadies himself against the tunnel wall. Jongin sends him a confused look, unaware of how impossible he had been to find. 

“Let’s go.” Kyungsoo says a moment later, standing back up and motioning for Jongin to grab Chanyeol’s hand once more. His voice is still shaking and despite them having found Jongin safe and sound the cold pit of anxiety in Chanyeol’s guts doesn’t go away. He doesn’t like how twitchy Kyungsoo is. 

“A moment, just gonna tie my shoe.” Jongin replies, fingers leisurely tying the laces together. 

“NOW!” Kyungsoo snaps, surprising both Jongin and Chanyeol. The smaller’s chest is rising and falling with erratic breaths and his usually wide eyes are so big they’re almost all whites. Chanyeol’s headache suddenly intensifies and he grabs his head, drawing a deep breath. It lessens, almost back to nothing again and when he looks up Kyungsoo is pulling at Jongin with frantic movements. 

Chanyeol blinks, the world seeming to slow down in front of his eyes. Kyungsoo is screaming something at Jongin. He frowns, noting how the words don’t seem to travel further than the small sphere of light they have around them despite the fact that they should be echoing through the tunnel. He takes a step forwards, there is something wrong with the light too. Kyungsoo’s flashlight used to be much stronger than this. It’s barely illuminating a two meter radius around them and when they set out through the tunnel it had been enough to brighten the walls on either side, the ceiling and the ground at least 20 meters in front of them. 

The headache flares up again, building and building and building until Chanyeol feels like his head will explode. A moment later silence lovers itself over them and Kyungsoo stops screaming. Chanyeol blinks, the headache completely gone. In it’s place something else rises through the silence. 

A feeling crawls it’s way up his spine, wrapping itself around his chest and crawling up his neck. It’s like tendrils worming over him, enveloping him. They curl around his ears before diving inside and suddenly he hears it, the hum. It is more a feeling than a noise but it’s definitely a hum. It sways, rising and falling in pitch as if it is breathing before it changes again. It starts weaving itself around his brain, a clinging tone starting up along with the rise and fall in pitch. It all mixes until a message is being sung into the his brain. 

He turns towards the tunnel behind them, the hum grows more alert, the song stronger. The way back to Hangangjin is blocked, the darkness as thick and impenetrable as any wall. But that’s not what’s blocking it. No, there is something else. 

“We’re not alone.” He whispers.


	18. Chapter 18 - Jongin

“We’re not alone.” Chanyeol whispers and the words freeze Jongin’s blood. Kyungsoo’s hands are still fisted in his shirt. They had been pulling just moments ago, trying to force him to stand up. Now the smaller is staring into the tunnel behind them, eyes wider than Jongin has ever seen them and his skin so pale it’s almost white. 

Something is not right, something has been wrong ever since Chanyeol and Kyungsoo returned back to him. He slowly turns around, noting how the darkness seems to be closing in on them with each passing moment. There air is thick around him, pressing in on him and making it hard to breathe. The tunnel stretches out behind him, a black maw waiting for something to fall into its grasp. The darkness is so thick, an impenetrable wall and suddenly the words Kyungsoo had spoken to him so so long ago echoes back into his memory. 

_If you’re alone, it means there is something else in the tunnel with you_

There had been bugs, before, long before. There hasn’t been a sign of life since they passed Itaewon. The tunnel they’re in is completely deserted, the three of them sitting ducks waiting for the blackness to devour them whole. The darkness from the tunnel in front of him moves. Coming closer and closer and closer. 

“Run.” Kyungsoo gasps and Jongin is on his feet before the word fully registers in his head. His fingers slip around the flashlight he has planted on the ground, flipping it over but failing to grab it. He doesn’t turn back for it. Kyungsoo still has his flashlight, the white light pale in front of them. It’s barely enough to light up more than a meter in front of them and Jongin fears that soon there will be no light left, the darkness all there is. 

His feet pound against the ground, his arms pumping by his side. His eyes burn from the effort of keeping them open but the fear that once he closes them it will all be over forces him to keep them open. He can feel it, the thing, the tunnel, chasing them. He doesn’t know what it is, doubts it even is a thing. Still he can feel its eyes on his back, his legs, his hands, his face. All around him. The hungry growl echoes in his head, almost chuckling at him, but silence fills the space around them like poisonous gas. 

He knows Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are right next to him but neither the sound of their ragged breathing nor the sound of their boots hitting the ground reach him, swallowed up by the tunnel moments after they’re formed. He feels like he’s running in a lifeless nothingness, his legs moving, his arm swinging, his chest heaving but he’s going nowhere. In front of them is nothingness. Behind them is nothingness. Above them is nothingness. The light from Kyungsoo’s flashlight is so weak by now that even the ground beneath his feet is starting to get swallowed up by the darkness. Soon he too will be taken, whatever is behind them catching up and easily plucking him from this world. 

Maybe this really is hell. The long climb down into the metro nothing more than a walk to their doom. That makes whatever is hunting them the Devil, evil given shape. But it can’t possibly be, because even the Devil had God, a counter to his evil. This is beyond that, a force beyond anything he can ever comprehend. It’s beyond humanity, beyond their world, even their universe. It’s everything and nothing at the same time, bigger than infinity. 

And it’s gaining on them. 

His chest burns, lungs aching for air and legs begging him to slow down. Each step sends a jolt of pain up his shins and there is a piecing ringing in his ears that drills into his brain. He speeds up, a primal fear driving him. He’s not thinking, all he knows is that is has to keep going. It’s coming closer and he has to run faster, harder, further. It’s coming. 

Suddenly a station opens up in front of them, the light of a flashlight greeting them and it’s the brightest light Jongin’s ever seen in his life. He blinks and when he opens his eyes he can see the platform stretching out to their right, a lone flashlight laying in the middle. It’s slowly rolling, the light following them as if honed in on their presence. 

It’s wrong, the light is wrong. He can see it, can see the platform, but if he turns his head a fraction to the side he is drowned in darkness once more. It’s not real, the light, possibly even the platform. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol by his side don’t seem to notice it. Jongin can’t tear his eyes away from it for longer than a second. 

As they reach the middle of the station the flashlight is close enough that if Jongin is to reach out he can almost touch it. It’s so strong, the light so bright. He could use it to light up their way. He could use it to guide them out of the metro through the station. He could shine it behind him and dispel the darkness. The flashlight beacons him and Jongin reaches out. 

The next moment three things happen at once. Chanyeol runs right into his outreached hand, sending it flying to the side with such force Jongin almost topples over. The realization that what he’s seeing is his flashlight, the one he left back in the tunnel behind them hits him. As he realizes this the face of the flashlight cracks with a deafening bang and the illusion is lost. 

He’s plunged back into darkness, his arms flail as he tries to regain his balance. The wooden boards under him are slippery with something and he almost falls over once more before he manages to right himself. 

Whatever it is following them has taken advantage of his momentary lapse in consciousness and he can practically feel it breathing down his neck. Tears begin to prick at his eyes, his throat burning as if someone poured acid in his mouth. He almost wishes he would fall dead on the spot because when _it_ catches up to them he knows he’ll meet a fate worse than death. 

Maybe it’s already caught up to him and he’s doomed to run in this tunnel for eternally, nothing more than a light barely bright enough to light up his hands in front of him to accompany him. He can’t hear anything, can’t feel anything more than the crippling panic and the mind numbing feeling of being chased. He’s not even sure he exists anymore. He’s not sure he ever existed beyond this tunnel. 

It’s right behind him. 

He closes his eyes, arms still pumping by his side and feet still pounding against the ground. He runs and runs, cold tears dried away by the wind. His nails cuts into his palms from how hard he is fisting them and he’s sure he’s already bitten through his lip. 

The sound of a thud next to him startles him enough to open his eyes. Chanyeol’s disappeared from in front of him and when Jongin looks towards the sound he sees the taller on the ground. The light of Kyungsoo’s flashlight leaves him in a matter of moments and Jongin keeps running. He can’t stop. He can’t let himself get caught 

“CHANYEOL!” Kyungsoo screams in front of him. The shorter turns around, sprinting head on towards the threat following them. Jongin stops, buckling legs almost dropping him before he finds the strength to keep standing. He looks back, feeling like he’s staring into the face of God himself. 

The light of Kyungsoo’s flashlight has left him, he’s completely surrounded by darkness. This is it he thinks. This is the end. 

But then the light appears again, Kyungsoo running towards him with a face contorted into an ugly grimace of panic. Chanyeol’s arm is slung over his shoulders, the tallers legs not cooperating as he tries to run. In a split second Jongin is next to them, hoisting Chanyeol’s second arm over his shoulders and resuming his run. 

It’s heavy, almost too heavy, and much much slower. His heart thunders in his chest as he thinks about how much easier it would be to just let go of Chanyeol, to just keep sprinting. The urge consumes him, mixing with the panic until his inside feels as black as his surroundings. He gasps, his lungs straining for air, and Chanyeol stumbles once more, only held up by the two by his side. 

Whatever is chasing them is right on top of them and Jongin fears it has already caught up, wormed it’s way inside him and soon he will be filled by the inky blackness until he is one with the tunnel. He too one of the things haunting it and devouring whoever happens to fall into his grasp. 

He still manages to force himself to hold onto Chanyeol. He forces himself to keep moving and he forces himself to keep breathing. He forces himself to keep fighting this pointless fight. He knows he’s lost. They all lost the moment they had stepped foot into the metro. 

He can see it, the light at the end of the tunnel. The end to it all. It’s almost peaceful, this end. His feet keep moving, straining to reach the light as fast as possible. He just wants it all to end. He welcomes it, his death, his erasure from this earth. He wants to leave the darkness. 

Please just let it be over. 

The light washes over him, drowning him in the same way the darkness had just moments ago. It hurts, burns him, sears him, erases him from existence. His legs give out, Chanyeol’s arm disappearing from his shoulders as he falls. The first sobs leave his lips as his hands touch the ground, rough pebbles scraping them open. 

He rolls over on his back, looking up and expecting to see the infinity of space over him. Instead he’s met with the sight of the tunnel ceiling, lit in a bright white light. He frowns, blinking as he tries to figure out why he’s still here. Someone coughs next to him and suddenly the sound of screams and hurried footsteps slaps against his ears. 

He forces himself to sit up, his chest heaving as he tries to pull in enough oxygen, and looks around. He is at another platform, another station, and this one is lit by bright, bright lights. People are running towards him, concern written all over their faces. They’re as pale as Kyungsoo, almost paler, and Jongin can’t understand a word they’re speaking to him. 

He turns his head, looking towards at the tunnel they came from. 

The tunnel stretches out behind him, light gently filtering out into it, reaching almost 40 meters into the tunnel. The railtrack runs into the dark, turning fuzzy and hard to spot where the light doesn’t reach it any more. There is nothing in the tunnel, nothing at all. No growing blackness, no suffocating quietness, no _it_ to chase them down. A small bug crawls over his hand. 

He feels empty, the fear and adrenaline having left him so quickly he is left hollow. He blinks, sitting up a little more and trying to get his hands to stop shaking. He turns his head to the side, seeing Chanyeol hunched over a few meters away, a hand on the wall the only thing that keeps him upright as he heaves. Jongin can spot the sick on the ground in front of him. 

Kyungsoo is stumbling towards him, eyes wide and pupils nothing more than tiny circles in his brown irises. He’s talking, asking Jongin something. Jongin shakes his head, trying to focus on anything other than the absence of fear in his chest. 

What had really happened? Had they even been in danger to begin with? He suddenly doubts it. He doubts any of it had been real, even his own fear. What he had experienced in there can’t possibly be real and now that he looks back into the tunnel he sees nothing of what his mind is telling him should be there. Or is it him trying to convince his mind that he should be seeing something there? 

“Are you okay?” Kyungsoo asks, grabbing his face with both of his hands and forcing him to meet the shorter’s eyes. Kyungsoo looks just as empty as Jongin feels, his chest heaving as he tries to suck in enough breath and his face full of exhaustion. 

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. You?” Jongin asks but before he can finish the sentence Kyungsoo has wrapped himself around him, squeezing him hard enough for it to hurt. The pain grounds him and little by little he starts to feel alive again. Kyungsoo doesn’t answer and Jongin doesn’t really need one. They both know neither of them are fine, but they’re alive and that’s all that matters now. 

“I need to check on Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo says much too quickly and detaches himself from Jongin once more. With wobbling steps he moves back to Chanyeol who’s collapsed back down on the ground. Jongin watches as Kyungsoo repeats the same process he just did with Jongin, hugging Chanyeol so hard the other grimaces before detaching himself once more and starting to walk back to Jongin. 

More people have joined them by now, heavy guns on their backs. They’re helping him stand up, speaking in the same accent as Kyungsoo about how lucky they are and how there is a warm bed and food waiting for them in the main hall. Kyungsoo flitters between himself and Chanyeol, touching their arms, hands, faces. Asking concerned questions and demanding things of the guards. 

Jongin lets himself be guided along, seated around a fire next to Chanyeol. He lets himself be wrapped up in blankets and Chanyeol’s arms as he tries to get his limbs to work properly again. Everything is hurting and he feels more like he’s watching himself get served hot soup and eat it than he feels like he is doing those things himself.

Chanyeol keeps talking, repeating the same things over and over again about how he heard the tunnel sing. People around the fire listen to him, nodding along and explaining the phenomenon as best they can while Kyungsoo keeps squeezing his calf over and over. The shorter is seated on the floor in front of them, their legs on either side of his shoulders and he’s clinging to them like he’s afraid they’ll disappear. 

As he eats Jongin slowly starts feeling like himself again. Chanyeol stops talking about the singing, instead letting the inhabitants of the station talk instead. They start up a story about before, before the bombs, and it is a happy story. It takes Jongin’s mind off of what has happened less than an hour before, makes it feel like nothing more than a bad nightmare. 

They are given three beds in one of the guest tents put up in one of the arcades and Jongin collapses down into his like he hasn’t slept for days. Kyungsoo is still hovering between them, reaching out to touch and ask questions as if the moment he turns his back on either Jongin or Chanyeol they will disappear. 

They end up pushing two beds together, forcing Kyungsoo to lay down between them and throwing their arms over him, whispering to him that they’ll still be there when he wakes up until the shorter stops shaking. 

Somewhere between kissing Kyungsoo’s eyelids to make sure he keeps them close and listening to whatever story Chanyeol has about his childhood Jongin falls asleep. It’s a dreamless sleep, an ocean of nothingness and Jongin lets it claim him without any fight.


	19. Chapter 19 - Kyungsoo

“Where’s your brother Kyungja?” His mother calls out and Kyungsoo stands up from where he has been crouching by an old bench. There is a snail crawling up the wall and it’s the biggest one Kyungsoo has ever seen so he just had to investigate it. 

“Here mom!” His older sister calls, pointing towards Kyungsoo. Their mother nods and sends them both a small wave. Kyungsoo waves back with a grin before turning back towards the snail. Mom is preparing something for their trip and he’s not supposed to disturb her even if he really, _really_ wants to show her his snail. 

“Noona.” He calls out, looking over at Kyungja who is fiddling with her own backpack. Kyungsoo is not yet old enough to carry something as important as a backpack of his own but sometimes Kyungja lets him try on his. “Noona! Come look!” He calls out again and Kyungja sighs, moving over to her little brother. 

“What is it Kyungie?” She asks and Kyungsoo points at the smail with a wide grin. 

“Look.” He says and Kyungja makes a disgusted noise next to him. “Can I bring him?” He asks, looking up at his older sister with large eyes. She shakes her head and crosses her arms. 

“No! It’s disgusting.” She says. 

“But I want to show it to Baekhyun back at home!” Kyungsoo pouts, huffing as he crosses his arms over his chest. “He can go in your backpack.” 

“No! It’s my backpack. You take him!” Kyungja snaps. “Oh right. You don’t have a backpack, because you’re a baby.” She teases. 

“I’m not a baby.” Kyungsoo protests, stomping his foot in frustration. “You’re being a meanie.” 

“Am not.”

Am too!”

“Am not!”

“Am _too_!”

“Children.” Their mom call out before the fight can break out for real. “Behave, please.” She says with a patient smile. Kyungsoo huffs again, glaring up at Kyungja who sticks out her tongue at him. 

“Mooom!” Kyungsoo whines, hurrying over to his mom and pulling at her sleeves. “I found the biggest snail ever and I want to show it to Baekhyun but Noona won’t let me put him in her backpack. She’s being mean.” He whines as Kyungja protests in the background. 

His mom finally crouches down and pushes his long bangs away from his forehead. She smiles at him for a long moment before taking his hand and giving it a small squeeze 

“You can’t take the snail away from here Kyungsoo. He lives here.” She explains and Kyungsoo looks up at her from beneath thick eyebrows, a pout still on his lips. 

“But I want to show him to Baekhyun.” He protests and his mom laughs. 

“But he lives here. The snail is on his way back home just like we are. Now, how would you like it if someone put you in their pocket and stole you away. You wouldn’t like it, right?” She asks softly, rubbing his arm a little. Kyungsoo shakes his head. No, he wouldn’t like it. “See, neither will the snail. So be a good boy and leave him be okay. We’re leaving soon.” She reaches forward and presses a soft kiss to his forehead and Kyungsoo quickly wipes it away, not wanting any disgusting mom germs on him. 

His mom laughs, ruffling his hair before going back to packing and Kyungsoo is left standing by her side, quietly watching her get the last of their stuff organized before the long walk through the tunnel. 

Kyungsoo knows what this is. It’s a dream, or maybe more of a memory. It’s not real. His mom isn’t real and neither is Kyungja. The rest of the people in their party aren’t real and the small station settlement on Hangangjin station isn’t real. Nothing of it is real anymore and Kyungsoo doesn’t want to have this dream. He doesn’t want to relive this memory. 

He forces his small eight year old self to turn around, look around the station for a way out of the dream. It looks so different from this perspective and his short legs take him so much longer to get anywhere. He barely have time to move a few steps away from his mom before she stands up again and hoists her large backpack onto her back. The guards and merchants they’re travelling with have done the same and soon they’re about to leave. 

“Come here kids.” His mom calls and Kyungsoo stays rooted on the spot, watching a long rope be handed around the group and slowly looped around waists. He takes a step back, wanting to get away from the situation but bumps into something solid behind him. 

Once he looks up he sees his sister Kyungja smiling back at him. She’s twelve, her almost brand new backpack that she got only months earlier slung over her shoulders and her green scarf wrapped around her neck. She looks just like Kyungsoo remembers her. 

“Come on Sooie-pooie.” She says and grabs his hands and just like that Kyungsoo is sucked back into the dream. 

He follows Kyungja, excitement building in him as he looks over towards the tunnel they’re going to walk through. It’s supposed to be a scary tunnel but Kyungsoo is big now, he’s not scared of walking through the tunnels anymore. 

Mom is waiting for them with the long end of a rope in her hands. One end is tied around her waist and passed along to the people behind her and the other she ties first around Kyungja and then him. All in all they form a train of 12 people and as soon as Kyungsoo is tied in they move towards the edge of the platform. The guards jump down first and the rest follow after until it’s only him and Kyungja left on the platform. 

“Come on Kyungie.” His mom says, holding out her arms and Kyungsoo carefully steps into them, bracing himself on her biceps. “And ho!” She huffs as she sets him down on the tunnel floor. “Are you ready our leader?” She asks with a proud smile and Kyungsoo nods in reply, puffing out his chest to make himself look stronger. 

“I’m ready!” He says and she laughs, pulling him into a warm hug that Kyungsoo quickly returns. “What are the ropes for?” He asks once he pulls back, pulling a little at his loose end to make sure it’s securely tied. 

“It’s going to be very dark in the tunnel so the rope is to make sure we don’t lose someone.” His mom says and Kyungsoo nods, looking over at the tunnel. Suddenly it looks a lot more scary than it had done on the platform and he hides his face in his mom’s neck. 

“You won’t lose me, right?” He asks quietly. 

“Of course not.” His mother gasps, pulling Kyungsoo away from her so she can look at him. “I would never lose you. You and Kyung-kyung are my most important people in the whole world. I could never lose you.” She says and Kyungsoo nods, feeling a little braver after her response. 

“I’m ready.” He says and she nods, standing up and pushing him to the front of the line. There are two guards right behind the small family and then the merchants before another two guards taking up the flank. The guards are carrying heavy pistols and Kyungsoo walks quickly past them, a little scared of their stern faces and large build. 

They begin to walk and after a few meters Kyungja joins him at the front with a bright flashlight. Kyungsoo takes her hand and watches with fascination as the track stretches out into infinity in front of him. 

They are on their way home from a visit to some of dad’s old friends on the other side of the metro. Apparently they had something that mom had needed. Kyungsoo hadn’t been allowed to know what but that is the way it had always been with dad. Mom had told him dad had been a currier before he went missing. Curriers carried letters and important information and sometimes it is so secret not even mom knew what dad was carrying. 

His dad had disappeared when Kyungsoo had just been three years old so he doesn’t remember very much of him. Kyungja remembers much more and sometimes she told him stories of what dad had brought with him from all over the metro. Dad’s friends also remembers more than him about that time. They had talked all about how much Kyungsoo had grown since they last saw him despite Kyungsoo never remembering meeting them before. 

They had been really nice though, giving him some toy soldiers they had found in the metro one time and Kyungsoo can barely wait until he comes back home so he can show them to Baekhyun. He had almost wanted to stay even longer because dad’s friends had been so much fun to play with, but mom had been so sad when she was with them and he doesn’t like seeing her sad. 

Now she is happy again Kyungsoo thinks, looking back at his mom who smiles brightly at him before turning back to talk to the guard next to her. He smiles, swinging Kyungja’s hand between them and humming a little on a song one of dad’s friend had sung him. 

Kyungja joins in a moment later and the two of them sing in harmony for a while before starting up a game between the two of them. It’s slow progress through the tunnel with two children but soon they reach Itaewon station and Kyungsoo gets handed a small can of dried mushrooms to snack on. He is not allowed to sit down to snack because apparently this tunnel doesn’t like it when people stop inside of it but Kyungsoo finds that mushrooms are just as delicious while walking as they are while sitting down. 

He doesn’t notice something is off until they’re halfway through the tunnel to Noksapyeong. Mom and the guard are talking an awful lot and it doesn’t sound like they’re talking about fun stuff. In fact his mom sounds almost a little bit worried. Maybe she has started thinking of dad again? She always sounds worried when she thinks of him.

“Mom?” He asks, stopping so he can properly look at her. He doesn’t want to be in this tunnel any longer. It’s not exciting anymore and his legs are starting to hurt from having to walk for so long. 

“Keep walking Kyungsoo.” She says, waving at him quickly. “Mommy’s fine. Just keep walking baby.” She smiles and Kyungsoo slowly begins walking again, reaching out for his sister’s hand once more. “A little faster baby. Just walk a little faster Kyungie.” His mom calls from behind and Kyungsoo does what he’s told with a pout to his lips. 

He doesn’t like this. The hand around his squeezes and Kyungja gives him a small smile that makes him feel a little better. He doesn’t understand why mom is so worried. No one has gotten lost, right? Because they have the rope so no one can get lost. 

“Can we stop at Noksapyeong.” He asks his sister. She shakes her head, not even looking down at him. Kyungsoo pulls roughly at her hand. “I want to stop at Noksapyeong.” He whines and she huffs. 

“No! We’re not allowed to stop in this tunnel Kyungsoo.” Kyungja says sternly and Kyungsoo whines, stomping his little feet against the wooden sleepers. He’s tired and he doesn’t like this tunnel. He wants to go back home. 

“But I’m tiiiired.” He protests. “I want to go back home.” He pulls his hand out of Kyungja’s grasp so he can cross them over his chest. 

“We are going home.” She says and Kyungsoo pouts harder because he knows she’s right but that’s not what he’s meaning. He doesn’t want to walk through any more tunnels. He just wants to be back at Sinmokdong where he can pet the goats or play with Baekhyun. He doesn’t like all these other stations with weird smells and no one to play with. 

“Mooom!” He whines, stopping once more but Kyungja quickly tugs him along, forcing him to keep moving. “Mooooom!” He tries to pulls his fingers out of Kyungja’s grasp but she’s much stronger than him and it’s not fair because she’s older than him and she’s supposed to be kind to him. 

“Keep moving Kyungsoo!” His mother calls out behind him and Kyungsoo pouts even stronger, angry that no one is listening to him. In defiance he throws his can of mushrooms to the side, expecting his mom to sigh and go collect them. Much to his surprise they just leave the mushrooms behind and Kyungsoo instantly regrets his decision. 

He glares down at the train track, allowing his sister to pull him along but making sure to walk just a little bit too slow. Once she janks him hard enough to almost fall down he stops with that also and opts for just walking silently next to her. 

They reach Noksapyeong a little after and Kyungsoo looks behind himself to see if his mom still looks upset with him or if it is worth it to try and whine again. What catches his eye is that there are a lot less people behind him than when they first started walking and mom and the guard are no longer walking next to each other, stead they are now walking in a line. His mother is holding a gun and the sight immediately makes fear build inside of him. 

“Mom. Why are you holding a gun?” He asks, almost stopping before Kyungja tugs at him again. “And where is everyone?” There is only one merchant left and the kind girl travelling with them who gave Kyungsoo a slice of sausage a few nights ago is gone, no trace of her anywhere. “Did we lose them?” 

“Just keep walking Kyungsoo.” His mother replies, smiling weirdly at him and waving at him to keep going. Kyungsoo turns back around and soon they’re back in the tunnel again. 

“Noona I’m scared.” He sniffs, not liking how dark it is. “You’re not properly lighting up the tunnel.” He says, walking closer to her. 

“It’s okay Soo-ya. Just keep walking.” She says, squeezing his hand and holding out the flashlight further in front of them. It helps the light a little but just barely. He looks behind himself a few times just to make sure they don’t lose anyone else but he can barely make out his mom behind them in the weak light. 

“Mom!?” He calls, scared that she too is lost. 

“I’m here. Just keep walking.” She says and her voice sounds weird, like it does when she thinks too much of dad. Kyungsoo does what she says though and keeps putting one foot over the other in the darkness. 

His feets are really hurting by now and he’s starting to get cold. He wants to lay down and sleep. He’s hungry too, his stomach twisting and turning, and he really wishes he hadn’t thrown away his mushrooms so he could snack on them. He asks Kyungja if they can rest a little but she says no immediately, Kyungsoo is not too surprised. He wishes the tunnel would end soon because they have been walking for forever and Kyungsoo is really really scared by now and he just wants to cuddle up next to mom. 

“I’m gonna check in with mom.” Kyungja says next to him and lets go of his hand. Kyungsoo quickly grabs it again, not wanting to be left alone. He shakes his head, stubbornly staring forwards. Kyungja sighs next to him, pulling impatiently at his hand. “Let me go Kyungsoo.” 

“No!” He protests, grabbing her hand with his other hand too. 

“Look, here Kyungsoo.” She says, holding out the flashlight for him to take. He reluctantly does so with one of his hands. “With this you can light the way so me and mom know where to go. Alright?” She asks and he nods, thrusting the flashlight forwards so it can light as much of the tunnel up as possible. 

“And here.” She unravels her scarf from her neck and holds out one of the ends. “You hold on to this end and I’ll grab the other and if you ever want to know if I’m there just pull at it and I’ll pull back.” She says. 

Kyungsoo regards the scarf for a long moment before slowly taking it instead of Kyungja’s hand. He tugs at it almost as soon as he can and she tugs back with a small smile. Kyungsoo nods, feeling a little safer now that he has the flashlight and his sister’s scarf in his hands. 

“See you in a moment.” She says and falls back, consumed by the darkness within moments. Kyungsoo gives the scarf an experimental tug and feels it tug back barely a second later. He aims his eyes forwards and forces his short legs to move a little faster so that they’ll be out of the tunnel soon. It feels good that his sister is checking in on mom. She must have also been a little scared being alone and Kyungja always manages to make him feel better. 

“Mom?” Kyungsoo asks to make sure she knows they haven’t lost him. He tugs the scarf also for good measure and Kyungja tugs back. His stomach starts to turn as the seconds pass between his call and the answer that’s not coming. “Mom!?” 

“Keep walking Sooie-Pooie.” Kyungja calls back, her voice weak. Kyungsoo does what he’s told, the flashlight in his hand shaking. Why isn’t mom answering? Kyungja is there with her so why isn’t she answering? Is she that scared? 

He tugs the scarf again and Kyungja tugs back. He wishes Kyungja would come back to him but he also doesn’t want her to leave mom alone. Especially not now when his mom is so scared. He’ll have to make sure to cuddle a lot with her when they exited the tunnel, just like she always did with him. 

It’s three minutes later that he feels the scarf grow slack in his grasp and his steps falter for a moment before he remembers that he has to keep walking. Everything will be okay if he keeps walking. He pulls on the scarf, waiting for the tug back that he knows will never come. 

“Mom?” He calls weakly, pulling harder at the scarf. There is no resistance. “Noona?” He feels his eyes burn and blink the first tears free. Why aren’t they answering? Why has Kyungja let go of her scarf. It is her favourite. She never lets Kyungsoo borrow it so it isn’t right that only he is holding on to it. She has to be holding on to it too or else how will Kyungsoo knows she’s there. 

“Mom?” He whispers, sobbing as once again no reply comes. “Noona?” He pulls at the scarf again and again and again but no tug back comes. His flashlight is almost dead by now, barely giving out any light. Still Kyungsoo keeps walking, the last words Kyungja had spoken to him echoing inside his head with each step. 

The moment he steps out on Samgakji guards are there to greet him. They quickly pick him up and off of the track, asking where he came from and where his family is. Kyungsoo can only point back at the tunnel, his sister’s scarf still clutched in his small hands like a lifeline gone flat. The say lots of thing to him, apologizing, and Kyungsoo doesn’t understand why because Kyungja and mom are going to come out of the tunnel here soon. They’re connected by the rope after all so no one can get lost. 

The guards seem to have noticed the rope too because they are pointing at it where it lays on the ground and they whisper to each other in that special voice grown ups use when they don’t want him to know something. Kyungsoo looks down at his waist, trailing the rope down to the ground and back towards the tunnel before the rope suddenly stops. 

The stump is frayed as if cut away from the rest of the rope by something dull and a maroon liquid has soaked through the end. The rope leaves an equally as maroon trail over the ground back towards the tunnel and when Kyungsoo lifts his head the darkness shoots out towards him, wrapping around him and diving down into his screaming mouth. 

He wakes up with a start, his limbs flailing as he tries to untangle himself from his blanket. His heart is going a hundred beats per minute in his chest, pounding loud enough that that’s all he can hear. He forces the blanket away and off of him with panicked movements and quickly stand up. 

In front of him is the guest tent at Samgakji, two empty guest beds pushed into the corners and his backpack stashed away on top of a small table. He blinks, trying to draw enough air into his lungs, and the familiar smell of the station hits him like a punch in the gut. 

It’s exactly like it had been twelve years ago, the same musky scent that did nothing but remind him of what the tunnels had taken from him. His mom, his sister, his family. He has nothing left, only the memory and his sister’s green scarf. 

With trembling fingers he pulls it out of his backpack, wrapping it around his neck and burying his face in it. After his first walk through the doomed tunnels he has barely taken it off, afraid that he would miss his sisters tugging at it if he didn’t have it within his grasp at all times. 

He had stayed on the station for almost a year before he had moved back to Sinmokdong and while his home station still looked exactly like he had remembered and everyone greeted him with the same warm smiles and kind words nothing had ever been the same after that. 

The song of the tunnels follows him wherever he goes, reminding him of what is lurking where the light can’t reach. It had drilled itself into his mind during that first disastrous walk all those years ago and by now Kyungsoo counts it as much a part of himself as he counts the memories left from that day. 

It is like visiting an old friend whenever the songs of the tunnels change, the hum building as the darkness awakens and roams. He will often find himself at the edge of the platform, eyes looking into the tunnel as he listens to it move around, sometimes simply just changing locations and others toying with the lives of unsuspecting travellers who had wandered into its grasp. He can’t help but wonder that maybe, if he stays long enough his mom will finally emerge from the tunnels and tell him that he can stop walking, that he has walked enough and that now he is home again. 

But she never does and never during his many trips through the metro has Kyungsoo ever found any trace of neither her nor his sister. 

Which reminds him, what trip is it that brought him back to Samgakji. He thinks, face still buried in his sister scarf, and slowly the memories of what had brought him back to this station returns. That’s right. Him, Jongin and Chanyeol are on their way to the Terminal where they have to deliver the City hall’s message to management and hopefully convince them to flee the metro. 

He sighs, peaking out through the scarf and expecting to see a concerned Chanyeol hover above him. He remembers how they had gone to bed together last night and Kyungsoo’s flailing and panic must have surely woken them up. He almost hopes so because he could really do with a cuddle right about now.

Only the gray tent cloth greets him and Kyungsoo slowly sits up, looking around the tent. There are no traces of neither Chanyeol nor Jongin in the tent and the beds pushed into the opposite corner look untouched. 

Kyungsoo feels his heart speed up again, panic wrapping its cold fingers around his neck as he turns around in search of anything that could point him to Jongin or Chanyeol. He finds nothing. 

But, but they had been with him yesterday. He is sure of it. He had fallen asleep with them right here on this bed. Except in his memory there are two beds instead of one. He stands up, frantically pulling on his boots and he tries to sort through the memories of yesterday. 

He remembers entering the metro after the Crawlers had followed them. Jongin and Chanyeol had definitely been with him then. And then they had moved down to the station where he had an argument with them about having to leave the metro but in the end they had ended up walking through the tunnels. He remembers Chanyeol and Jongin being with him then because he had made sure of it. He remembers Chanyeol’s hand in his and he remembers Jongin answering his questions. 

But then they had lost Jongin, and he and Chanyeol had turned back for Jongin. And then the song had changed and Kyungsoo remembers panic and darkness. Chanyeol had fallen, and he had turned back, and then the light of the station and the memories pressing down on him like a thousand bricks all at once. 

He can remember that but he can’t remember if they had actually found Jongin again. He can’t remember if he had really turned back for Chanyeol.

He grabs his backpack with shaking hands and bursts out of the tent, eyes wide as he takes in the crowd in front of him. He needs to ask the guards, he needs to know if he came back alone or not. He takes his first stumbling steps, eyes jumping from face to face as he searches for a familiar one. 

He pushes a woman out of the way, ignoring the way she cries after him as he pushes forwards towards the archway leading to the platform and the guards. Each face that passes him has the panic growing in his chest, his guts nothing but a black hole and a heavy lump in the back of his throat that washes burning acid down his insides every time he tries to swallow it down. 

“Jongin!” He calls, his voice weak as he pushes past yet another person, them too wrong. “Hyung!” He’s almost by the arcade, his heart pounding frantically against his ribcage and his knees folding under him as he tries to make his way towards the answers. 

“Kyungsoo!” A voice calls out behind him and Kyungsoo turns so quickly he almost tumbles over. He searches the sea of people in front of him for the owner of the voice. 

The morning market is at its highpoint, people moving from booth to booth to try and get the best deals. The chatter is almost as loud as that on the surface and merchants are loudly advertising their wares, making it almost impossible for Kyungsoo to locate the voice. 

“Here!” The same voice calls and suddenly Kyungsoo spots them. Chanyeol is waving at him, a happy smile on his face and Jongin is right there next to him, eyes trained on something on the merchant’s table in front of him. 

Kyungsoo throws himself forwards, not caring about who he might be pushing out of the way to reach the two most important people in his life. With a final step he walks right into Chanyeol’s chest, wrapping his arms around the taller and breathing in the ever so familiar scent. 

They’re alive, they are both alive. They are here and they are real and they are safe. Kyungsoo reaches out and grabs hold of Jongin’s shirt, wanting to feel the other one too. They are all here, all of them. He hasn’t lost them. He had found Jongin and he had returned for Chanyeol. He had done what he couldn’t do with his mother and sister. He had saved them. 

“Jongin’s found some sort of grilled rat and it sounds delicious but we don’t have any money so we were just about to come back and wake you up. Do you think you can buy some for us?” Chanyeol asks, turning around awkwardly with Kyungsoo still pressed against his chest. 

Kyungsoo nods, blinking his eyes rapidly to try and get rid of the tears gathering in them. They’re alive. They’re here. Of course Jongin can have overpriced rat skewers. He can have anything he wants as long as he promises never to leave Kyungsoo alone again. 

“Are you crying Soo-ya?” Chanyeol quietly asks, a hand running through his hair. Kyungsoo shakes his head, sniffing as he tries to even out his breathing. His shoulders are shaking, his whole body trembling with left over adrenaline and relief. He squeezes Jongin’s shirt tighter in his grip and the other seems to get the hint because he moves closer and let’s Kyungsoo properly grab his wrist. He can feel Jongin’s heartbeat under his fingers and the first sob breaks through his lips. 

“M’caps are in the backpack.” He says, ignoring the way his voice cracks. With rough movements he wipes the tears from his eyes, sniffling quiety as he tries to get himself under control. Chanyeol’s hand travels through his hair and down his back until it is pressed into his side, giving it a gentle squeeze. Kyungsoo’s shoulders jump with another sob as he does. 

“Come on, let’s go back to the tent.” Chanyeol mumbles, turning Kyungsoo around and fitting him securely against his side. Kyungsoo turns his face into Chanyeol’s shirt, feeling more tears run down his cheeks. Jongin’s hand gently pries his fingers away from his wrist and interlaces his fingers with Kyungsoo’s before the smaller can feel panic swell in his chest from not knowing where Jongin is. 

“I’m here.” Jongin whispers and Kyungsoo nods, wiping his face once more as Chanyeol guides him back to the tent. He can still feel himself trembling, his hands shaking as he wraps himself around Jongin while Chanyeol pushes the beds back together. His chest is jumping with each inhale and Jongin’s shirt is slowly getting wet with tears but he can’t find it within himself to care. All he cares about is that they’re both safe. They’re both here. 

“I’ll never leave you behind.” He croaks to Jongin, his face pressed against the other’s chest. Jongin’s arms tighten around his waist and he feels the other press his lips against the top of Kyungsoo’s head. Chanyeol presses himself against his back, encasing him and Jongin in his long arms. 

“And we’ll never leave you behind.” He whispers and Kyungsoo nods, letting his shoulders relax down little by little as the vice grip on his heart loosens. They’re safe. They’re alive. He saved them both.


	20. Chapter 20 - Chanyeol

Kyungsoo is different in the metro. From the first moment they set foot in the tunnels Kyungsoo has been different. It’s not a bad different, neither is it a better different. It’s just different. Like how Jongin is different when he’s out in public compared to when it’s just him and Chanyeol (and now Kyungsoo). Chanyeol likes seeing this part of Kyungsoo. It feels like a truer part of himself than the one he is on the surface. 

You can tell from the way he moves that he’s been navigating the tunnels for most of his life and from the way he talks Chanyeol can tell Kyungsoo is someone not to try and doublecross. He knows the way of the metro like the back of his hand and he blends in effortlessly among the many inhabitants of the station. 

Both him and Jongin stand out like sore thumbs. Their height, for one, is taller than most of the people here and their skin is tanned bronze while the residents of the metro are pale like the moon. Their accents also sets them apart and Chanyeol can barely understand a word that’s being said the first day he spends in the tunnel. For the first time he can imagine just how hard it has been for Kyungsoo on the surface. 

Everything is different down here. Shadow and darkness lurk in the corner of your eyes at all times and the low hum Chanyeol first heard in the tunnel creeps up his spine and into his ears every time they go near a tunnel. People are quiet and cold, regarding everyone with the same quiet and calculating look he has seen in Kyungsoo’s eyes so many times. 

Even the air tastes different, an oily taste that coats your tongue from the first few breaths and never quite leave. There is a scent lingering in the air too, thick and heavy as Chanyeol breathes it in. It’s like a part of the darkness that lurks everywhere he turns his eyes, quietly slipping inside him with each inhale. 

He misses the sun almost immediately, misses the warmth and the brightness. Even if there is a fire burning in the middle of the station and the lamps still dutifully light up the main hall it’s nowhere near as bright as the sun. And despite the colours decorating the walls and the coats Kyungsoo buys for the two of them there is a coldness lingering in his chest that he fears even the sun might not be able to burn away once he’s back on the surface. 

It’s not all bad though. People smile down here too and eagerly help them to one more meal before they set out towards the Terminal again. The station guards helpfully updates Kyungsoo on the news currently circling the metro and some of the residents tell them what they call old folk tales over a cup of spicy hot tea by the fire at night. Chanyeol has never heard anything like them before, speaking of a time long long before the bombs fell when people lived almost like they do now. About kings with palaces so large they could fill a whole station four times over and warriors fighting wars without guns or bombs. 

They set out on the second day of reaching Samgakji and Chanyeol is more than a little apprehensive of entering the tunnels again. The day before had been spent mostly consoling and calming Kyungsoo and preparing for their travel. The Terminal is only five stations away and Kyungsoo estimates the travel to take no more than two days as long as they keep up speed. 

The smaller is walking confidently in front of him and Jongin, his flashlight held in a steady hand as he treks across the uneven terrain. Nothing of the tenseness Chanyeol had seen in his shoulders yesterday is there. His brows have unfurrowed and his wide eyes have turned calm once more. It is more like the Kyungsoo Chanyeol knows, even if he is different. Quiet and calculating, observing but still in control. He wishes he never has to see that panic in Kyungsoo’s eyes again. 

His stomach twists at the memory of Kyungsoo’s tear stained face begging the two of them to never disappear again. He had suspected Kyungsoo’s life had been rougher than the two of theirs from the very beginning but he hadn’t been ready to hear what had really happened to Kyungsoo. To lose his family at such a young age and in such a traumatizing way had most certainly put its scars on Kyungsoo’s heart and Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel lucky once more over the shorter letting them in so close. 

After his trip through the tunnel Kyungsoo had stayed at Samgakji for almost a year before joining up with a group of merchants heading his way. At the age of nine he had walked through half the metro with the song of the tunnels playing in his head. Once back in Sinmokdong he had needed to fend for himself and from the age of 15 Kyungsoo had been working as a courier or smuggler after picking up the profession from one of the merchants that had taken him from Samgakji to Sinmokdong. 

He had travelled the metro several times over since then, delivering information and smuggling valuables to wherever they were needed. He knows which tunnels are dangerous and which are safe. He knows how to move through the stations without anyone ever noticing and he knows his way around the shadiest of platforms along with the busiest of main halls. Chanyeol can’t help but be impressed. 

Both him and Jongin are scouts but the furthest they have ever gone from their highrise before this had been a few hours at tops. Jongin of course had travelled but that had been out of necessity and not out of want. They had the whole world by their feet up on the surface and Kyungsoo had a set of ten or so metro lines to explore but he had still managed to see more than the two of them together. 

It shows. Behind the large orbs that Chanyeol can spend hours gazing into lays a wiseness the taller has only seen a handful of times before. Junmyeon has the same look in his eyes as well as Nana. The scouts in Seoul City hall has it too and some of the merchants that sometimes visits Yeouido has it too. It’s a look of having seen too much, of knowing more than you want. It’s a depth with no end and a burning power that rivals the sun. It’s a look Chanyeol envies and never want to have at the same time. 

It’s a look that far too many people carry in the metro. 

It’s everywhere and just like the darkness Chanyeol suspects it has its home here among the tunnels. In the darkness that seems to be everywhere he turns his eyes. As they walk through the tunnel it seems to almost linger to the walls even though he aims his flashlight right at it. It’s thick like mud and coupled with the humming every step seem like a fight. 

The humming is also something Chanyeol can’t seem to get used to along with almost everything else in the metro. The moment they set foot on the tracks again it is back in his head but instead of telling him about how he is being watched or how something is drawing nearer with each step it is singing him a song about how the tunnel is empty, about how the darkness is content and that there is nothing to worry about. 

He asks Jongin if he too can hear the humming but the younger only shakes his head, looking at him with worried eyes before offering him some water. He decides to change the subject after that and asks Kyungsoo to tell them some stories about his smuggling days. 

The stories keep them company until they reach Dongjak. Kyungsoo tells them about how he used to spend most of his time travelling between the Terminal, Gangnam station and Jongno 3-ga station carrying information or other items. Those where the three biggest stations in the metro. Gangnam is the commercial metropol and most of his smuggling missions are to and from that station. Jongno 3-ga is where the metro send out people to the surface. They’re called collectors down in the metro and they need a trusty information lane between that station and the Terminal. And then the Terminal, the heart of the metro. You can get your hand on anything in the Terminal and if you can’t, there is a currier willing to get it for the right price. 

Kyungsoo had travelled with everything from small paper slips containing orders about when to carry out the next collection mission to sometimes even people, taking them through passport controls and dangerous tunnels. He is a well sought out currier for his ability to hear the song of the tunnel but few knows his name. 

Mostly, he tells them, it’s the station management that orders both the currier jobs and smuggling jobs. They have a status quo set up where the curriers are allowed to carry out their illegal business in exchange for a little given the managements way. The curriers in turn make sure the information handed to them doesn’t get in the wrong hands and that way everyone gets what they want. 

Once they reach Dongjak Chanyeol’s body is aching like after a day of scouting and he wants nothing more than to curl up around Jongin and Kyungsoo and fall to sleep. However, once they set foot into the main hall the exhaustion leaves him in a heartbeat. 

Dongjak is not much bigger than Samgakji but it’s so different he feels like he’s stepped into another world. The smell here is completely different, a spicy fieriness to it instead of a heavy sooth. The people here are more alive, fewer with that look in their eyes and more smiles greet him. The merchants are louder, screaming out their prices and trying to pull both him and Jongin to their tables as they follow Kyungsoo towards one of the arcades leading to the guest tents. 

Along one of the walls of the main hall a large picture of Dongjak bridge is painted, the blue arches easily recognizable. But what really catches his eyes is the lush trees surrounding both ends of the bridge, the green of the leaves so intense it almost feels like they are shining. The sky behind the bridge is painted a deep orange and pink and the colours are reflected into the water under the bridge. 

People are walking past it like it’s nothing but Chanyeol can’t help but stop and stare at it. He grabs Jongin’s hand, pulling the younger to stand next to him because he can’t live with himself if Jongin misses this amazing display of colour. He hears Jongin gasp beside him and turns towards the other with a smile, feeling his heart swell as Jongin breaks out into a smile for the first time that day. 

“Is that Dongjak bridge?” He asks and Chanyeol nods, turning his eyes back towards the painting. It looks so real, like as if he reached out he could brush his fingers through the lush green leaves and dip his hands in the clear water. It must be a picture from before the bombs fell and it feels so foreign to him it might as well be a picture from a fairytale. 

People push past them like they’re blind to the beauty that rests on the wall in front of them and Chanyeol almost wants to tell them to stop because how can they miss out on something like this? Jongin’s hand squeezes his and Chanyeol squeezes it in return, trying to take in as much of the picture he can before the have to move on. 

“Do you like it?” Kyungsoo asks from next to him, making him tear his eyes from the picture. The shorter is regarding the picture with uninterested eyes and Chanyeol wonders how many times before he’s seen the painting. “It’s not from before, if you’re wondering.” Kyungsoo adds and turns to look at Chanyeol. “It’s a picture from a postcard someone found long before I was born. It was meant to be a remainder of how life used to be before we lived in the tunnels. To bring a little happiness into people’s life but I think most people just get depressed instead.” 

Chanyeol frowns, turning back towards the picture once more. How can anyone become depressed from such a wonderful display? To be able to see the wonders of colours in the light of the setting sun is something that hasn’t been available to the people on the surface in nearly 100 years and most likely wouldn’t be for another 100. 

“People get depressed because it reminds them of what they lost. What we can’t have.” Kyungsoo answers as if hearing what Chanyeol is thinking. Chanyeol nods, seeing the picture in a new light as he regards it once more. It is true. If you have never seen the sun, have never seen a tree, have never seen the sky it does look like nothing more than a caricature of what could have been. A heaven you know you’ll never reach no matter how hard you work. A grim reminder that wherever else you turned there is nothing other than darkness and suffering. 

“That’s sad.” Jongin comments quietly. 

“It’s life.” Kyungsoo replies and Chanyeol nods, holding back the urge to pull Kyungsoo into a hug. His chest pangs as it once more strikes him how much he misses the sun. It’s been three days, not even that, in the metro and it already feels like a lifetime. The sky and open air feels so far away, hidden away by a thick, thick layer of dirt above their heads.

“Let’s go. Dinner time.” Kyungsoo says, grabbing his hand for a short moment and pulling him away from the painting. They move into one of the arcades and past a group of tents having been set up along the winding corridors. Chanyeol peaks into the tents as they pass, seeing nothing more than beds and the occasional trunk of clothes. 

The living standards here are humble, almost spartan in their nature. A tent with beds and some storage and nothing more. There are no personal decor and no memorabilia. The only form of entertainment a story by the fire or the occasional book. That or crafting. Sewing of new clothes or backpacks, building of furniture or cooking of food. 

The tents quickly pass them by and they exit out into another main hall, this one less bustling but still full with merchants left and right. There is a group of large tents set up towards the short end of the hall and halfway down towards the other short end the merchants tables are replaced by a bunch of smaller tents similar to the ones in the arcades. 

“Ever had Potato-mushroom mash?” Kyungsoo asks as he takes them to one of the busier tables. Jongin quickly shakes his head next to him and Chanyeol takes advantage of his height to look over at the table where the food is being prepared. 

There is a large pot above a fire behind a short old man tending to the customers. He can’t see what’s inside it but the smell coming from it is deep and musty, almost smokey. There is a young girl, maybe 10 years old, tending to the pot and scooping something out of it whenever the old man tells her to. It seems to be some sort of stew, like most things they’ve eaten in the metro is. 

“It smells good.” Chanyeol says, his mouth watering. They haven’t eaten since they left Samgakji earlier that morning and he can feel his stomach growl at the prospect of food. “Is it like the stew we had yesterday? That one was delicious.” He asks and Kyungsoo sends him an amused look but doesn’t reply. 

They’re quick to be served. Kyungsoo working out a fair price for 3 bowls and Chanyeol and Jongin watching behind them. The small girl glares at them as she hand them their food, her small hands holding onto the bowls a second longer than she should as Chanyeol tries to take his bowl from her. 

“Why are you traveling with dark ones Mr guest?” She asks Kyungsoo, her accent sharp and quick and Chanyeol almost misses what she says. 

“Jimin!” The old man snaps, smacking her on the back of her head before turning towards him and Jongin. “I apologize. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.” He says and bows at them. Chanyeol awkwardly bows back, looking at Kyungsoo for guidance at how to handle the situation without offending. Kyungsoo nods and exchanges a few more quick words with the shopkeep before they make their way towards the large fire in the middle of the main hall. 

“What are dark ones?” Jongin asks as they sit down and Kyungsoo hands him a spoon from his bag. 

“They’re creatures that live in abandoned stations.” Kyungsoo says, scooping up some of his food and gently blowing on it. “They have black skin. People think that if you walk through the tunnels without light the darkness will take over your body.” He scoops the food into his mouth and sighs happily, eyes closed as he slowly chews. 

Chanyeol nods, looking down at his own bowl of food. It’s not really a stew. It’s more of a thick mix of potato pieces and what he assumes are mushrooms. There is a thick sauce coating it all, its colour is a grey brown that looks anything but edible. Kyungsoo seems to enjoy it alot though, judging from the way he’s sighing with each bite. 

“Is it true?” Jongin asks quietly. 

“What?” Kyungsoo asks, taking another bite. 

“What they say about the dark ones.” Jongin clarifies and Chanyeol nods, scooping up some of his food on the spoon and blowing on it like he has seen Kyungsoo do. 

“Most likely not.” Kyungsoo answers and Chanyeol feels his stomach turn a little. Could that really happen? People being consumed by the darkness. He shifts a little closer to the light of the fire and hurriedly takes a bite. 

The first flavour that hits him is bitterness, the food almost dry in his mouth as he chews it. There is a slimy texture to it all and the mushrooms slip through his teeth as he tries to chew them. A few moments later the flavour becomes creamier, heavier flavours coming forth as he chews. There is the same spiciness that hangs in the air building in his mouth and soon it’s so hot it’s all he is tasting. 

He coughs, breathing through his mouth to try and cool it down. He screws his eyes shut as the fire intensifies for a moment, wetness building behind his lids, before it finally begins to die down. He can hear Jongin have the same reaction next to him, groaning as the spiciness hits him full force. 

“Water.” He pleaded, holding out a hand towards Kyungsoo who’s watching the two of them with a bright grin. 

“Here.” Kyungsoo laughs, holding out a cup of something he had gotten from the merchant at the same time as his portion. “Don’t drink it all. It’s for Jongin too.” 

“No.” Chanyeol coughs once more, swallowing again to try and get the spiciness out of his mouth. “Water.” 

“Trust me. Drink this.” Kyungsoo says, holding out the drink again and Chanyeol grabs it. With a hurried gulp the liquid hits his burning tongue. An icy feeling follows after, the thick liquid coating his mouth in a thin slime that cools with each breath he takes. He gasps, tasting the air in his mouth as he tries to get used to both the burning spiciness from before and now this feeling. 

“Gimme gimme gimme.” Jongin says next to him and takes the cup from his grasp, quickly bringing it to his lips before grimacing. “Oh god this is worse. What’s wrong with the food down here!?” He exclaims with a groan, feet stomping against the ground. 

Kyungsoo lets out a loud laugh, taking the drink from Jongin’s hands but not without letting his own fingers linger against the youngest’s. Chanyeol is still tasting the air, trying to get used to the feeling of his mouth becoming cold with each inhale. He switches to breathing through his nose and grimaces as feels the air cool down as it passes his mouth. Kyungsoo laughs harder. 

“Eat some more of the mash.” He urges, taking a small sip himself before gesturing towards the bowls in their hands. Jongin quickly shakes his head, teeth bared as he breathes loudly. Chanyeol follows the advice, figuring that if anything can get rid of the icy feeling left from the drink it is the spiciness of the food. 

This time when the mash hits his tongue it’s a completely different feeling. The creaminess he felt before is back but this time much more intense. There is an earthy taste to it all, peppery and intense without the burning. An almost meaty taste explodes in his mouth as he bites down on a mushroom and Chanyeol looks up at Kyungsoo with wide eyes, gesturing towards the food with excited noises. 

This time Kyungsoo almost falls off the bench from laughing too hard, head thrown back and eyes nothing more than thin slits as he giggles violently. The sight chases away some of the cold from the metro and Chanyeol feels a giggle of his own slip past his lips

“What are you feeding us?” Jongin whines, still not having taken another bite from the stew. Kyungsoo opens his mouth to reply but all that escapes are deep chuckles before he smiles brightly and dissolves into silent giggles once more. 

“Take a bite.” Chanyeol urges Jongin, taking another bite himself. Jongin shakes his head with a disgusted grimace, eyeing the food in a way that forces a giggle through Chanyeol’s lips too. “Come on. I promise it’s good.” He urges, taking yet another bite to prove it. This time some of the bitterness is back but the delicious taste from the meaty mushrooms soon overpower it. 

Jongin sends him a glare with a pout before suspiciously turning his eyes towards the mash in his bowl. He sends the two of them another silent glare before quickly scooping up a mouthful and eating. A second later his eyes widens and he points at the food with a shocked expression. 

“What the fuck?” Is all he says and Chanyeol bursts out into a loud laugh himself at Jongin’s surprised face. The youngest repeats himself quietly as he chews the food, looking at the bowl like he just got told the secrets of the universe. By now Kyungsoo is laughing so hard he has to support himself against Chanyeol’s shoulder, his entire body shaking with silent laughter. 

“Kyungie?” A voice calls out from behind them and the whole party turns around, looking towards the voice. A man about the same height as Junmyeon with black hair and a cat like smirk is looking at them. He’s carrying a backpack similar to Kyungsoo’s own on his back and a jacket made from some sort of shorthaired hide, on his feet are heavy boots dirtied by layers of mud. He looks like Kyungsoo did when they first found him. 

“Hyung!” Kyungsoo calls, waving over the man who quickly bundles over and sits down next to Kyungsoo. He slings an arm around the shorter’s shoulders before leaning forwards and looking over at Chanyeol and Jongin. 

“So you’ve already replaced me I see?” He asks and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes with a smile, shoving the other away from himself. 

“They’re not curriers. They’re my friends.” He explains and the newcomer nods with an impressed look. 

“Boyfriends.” Jongin quickly corrects and the impressed look is replaced by a shocked one before a smirk once again grows on the other’s lips. 

“Boyfriends?” He asks Kyungsoo and Chanyeol is pleased to see a red tint grow on Kyungsoo’s ears. He reaches out to take the smaller’s hand, squeezing it gently and Kyungsoo’s ears grow even redder. 

“I’m Chanyeol. This is Jongin.” He introduces themselves, ignoring the way Kyungsoo adds that weird vowel sound to his sentence that he finishes almost all of his own sentences with. 

“Kim Jongdae. Please take care of me.” The newcomer introduces himself, bowing slightly and Chanyeol does the same in return. “Now, what was it that made you laugh loud enough for the entire station to hear?” Jongdae asks Kyungsoo who lets out another small giggle at the thought. 

“Just introducing them to Potato-mushroom mash and Mint-tea for the first time.” He says and Jongdae lets out a disbelieving laugh, turning his eyes towards Jongin and Chanyeol. 

“Wait. You’re telling me you’ve never had Pomush mash before?” He asks, gesturing towards the bowls in front of them. Chanyeol gives a small nod, taking another bite of said food. The bitterness lingers for a little longer this time and some of the heat is starting to build back up. 

“How? There is no way. Like that’s like never seeing a sleeper before.” He says, laughing and Chanyeol feels his lips press into a thin line. He turns towards Jongdae, shielding Jongin ever so little. 

“Is there anything wrong with that?” He asks and Jongdae grows quiet immediately, looking at him with hard eyes. 

“Hyung.” Kyungsoo warns, squeezing his hand and but Chanyeol doesn’t back up. He doesn’t like that this Jongdae thinks he can just show up and act like they’re best buddies. He usually doesn’t have any claims against anyone trying to befriend them but to do so by insulting them is not a way to get good in Chanyeol’s books. 

“I can tell I’ve offended you.” Jongdae says, a lazy smirk on his lips as he stares down Chanyeol. He’s dropped the ending vowel of his sentences and Chanyeol can only assume there is some sort of hidden meaning behind that he doesn’t know. 

“Hyung.” Kyungsoo says again, this time directing it towards Jongdae who quickly turns his eyes towards the shorter. “They’re not from here. Cut them some slack.” He says quietly and Jongdae’s eyebrows rises once more before he turns back towards Chanyeol with a bright smile. 

“Sorry. No hard feelings. Do you like it?” He asks, looking towards the bowl and Chanyeol blinks, not ready for the sudden change in emotions. 

“Um...yes?” He says, looking at Kyungsoo for guidance. The shorter are looking between the two of them hopefully and Chanyeol realizes that he probably wants the two of them to be friends. He smiles back at the newcomer and repeats his answer with more certainty. If it is important for Kyungsoo then it is important for him too. 

“What about you Jongin-ssi?” Jongdae asks, leaning to the side to spot the youngest. Jongin doesn’t answer, a hesitant glare back in his eyes. Chanyeol lets go of Kyungsoo’s hand in order to hold Jongin’s instead. 

“I’m taking that as a yes. Anyway what has my favourite dongsaeng been up to?” Jongdae continues without missing a beat. Chanyeol turns around towards Jongin who silently stuffs another mouthful into his mouth. Jongdae is a lot to swallow, Chanyeol can tell already by the few minutes they’ve spent together and Jongin isn’t one to take to new people. Especially not people like Jongdae. 

“The usual.” Kyungsoo answers cryptically and Jongdae nods in interest. “We’re heading to the Terminal next.” He continues, sending a short look Chanyeol’s way. Chanyeol nods in agreement. 

“Oh, what for?” Jongdae asks, looking over at Chanyeol for the answer with a bright grin. 

“Business.” Kyungsoo answers before Chanyeol can open his mouth, pinching Jongdae lightly in the thigh. The other swats at his hand with a tut. “What about you Hyung?” He asks. 

“The Terminal for me too.” He answers. “Heading out early tomorrow morning and could do with some travelling company.” He says and Chanyeol can practically feel the glare intensify from Jongin. Kyungsoo ignores it. 

“Great. You have a place for the night yet?” Kyungsoo says looking up at the older with expectant eyes. A moment of silence passes between the two of them and Chanyeol gets the feeling that a whole conversation passes in those short seconds. It ends with Jongdae pulling Kyungsoo into a one armed hug and the shorter squirming to get out of the other’s hold with a bright smile. 

“Always destined to take care of you am I?” Jongdae complains loudly, wrapping another arm around Kyungsoo to hold him in place. “Is this the respect you repay your Hyung with? I should have never saved your tiny ass.” He continues, ruffling Kyungsoo’s short hair violently before letting him go. Kyungsoo immediately punches him in the arm, a glare in his eyes that only lasts for a second before he breaks out into a loud laugh. 

Chanyeol is beyond lost. 

“I’ll check you in.” Kyungsoo says, holding out his hand towards Jongdae. The other hands his bag over to Kyungsoo before taking the bowl of mash from him and shoveling a large spoonful into his mouth. 

Nothing more is said between them and Chanyeol hesitantly goes back to his own food, confused by the whole exchange. He feels as if Kyungsoo and Jongdae had just entered some sort of deal that had gone right over his and Jongin’s heads. When he turns towards the younger Jongin sends him a doubtful look and Chanyeol returns it with a smile, hoping to reassure the other. 

He knows what must be going through the other’s head right now. This Jongdae figure seems anything but reliable but Kyungsoo seems to trust him so Chanyeol will too. He trust Kyungsoo to tell them what is going on. It’s obvious that Jongdae is someone from before he entered Jongin and Chanyeol’s life and while Kyungsoo hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with information about that part of his life lately he had been telling them more and more. 

He will just have to trust that when they’re alone Kyungsoo will fill them in on what’s going on.


	21. Chapter 21 - Jongin

Jongin doesn’t trust this Jongdae figure. He seems to be the embodiment of shady merchant and he can’t help but expect him to double cross them the moment they reach the Terminal. Kyungsoo seems to trust him though, and Chanyeol too. But Chanyeol trust anyone. The question is does Jongin trust Kyungsoo’s judgement. It has never been wrong before but he is really doubtful if Kyungsoo’s high thoughts of Jongdae is truly justified. 

Kyungsoo had told them last night after they had gotten a room for themselves and one for Jongdae that Jongdae had been the person who had helped him get off Samgakji all those years ago. The other is a currier like himself and despite not looking much older than Chanyeol is nearing thirty. He is also the one who took Kyungsoo under his wings when he was younger and had taught him how to fend for himself in the metro. 

Kyungsoo doesn’t say it but Jongin can tell from the way Kyungsoo’s eyes light up when he talks about Jongdae the man is like an older brother for him. Jongin recognizes the look. It’s the same look Chanyeol used to tell him Sehun looked at him with. 

That should make Jongin trust more in Jongdae but it doesn’t. He knows that if Kyungsoo holds any of the same feelings of admiration for Jongdae as Sehun did for him he will blindly trust in anything the other says. And Jongdae doesn’t really seem like the type to not take advantage of that sort of trust. 

He doesn’t voice his concerns though, not wanting to hurt Kyungsoo’s feelings. The shorter has really brightened up ever since Jongdae joined them and the smile he so readily sends them has Jongin’s heart fluttering with love. He doesn’t want to be the one who turns those into a frown. 

So he forces himself to be somewhat civil to the newcomer, thanking him when they meet up in the morning for letting them use his credentials for their room. Jongdae pretends he doesn’t know what Jongin’s talking about but Jongin isn’t stupid. He can recognize why Kyungsoo had been given Jongdae’s bag last night and he can recognize the small slip of paper Kyungsoo had let flash as he had pulled out Jongdae’s passport to check them in. There is a reason why there had suddenly been a two room for one deal going on and it hadn’t been because Chanyeol had complimented the staff on the colourful lamp hanging from the ceiling. 

He guesses that if Jongdae trusts Kyungsoo enough to leave his passport in his possession Jongin can trust Jongdae enough to take them to the Terminal without much trouble. 

The walk isn’t that different from yesterday and Jongin is already starting to grow tired and weary of the tunnels they travel through. It all looks the same, a track stretching out in front of them into infinity and damp tunnel walls surrounding them on all sides. It quickly starts feeling as if he is walking in the same place, moving neither forwards nor backwards and as soon as those thoughts hits him the panic from their first walk through the tunnels starts creeping up his spine. 

He distracts himself with listening to Jongdae and Chanyeol talk to each other. Chanyeol quickly lets it slip that they’re from on top and Jongdae seems beyond interested in hearing what life is like up there. Jongin thinks it would probably be for the best to try and keep as much about themselves hidden from Jongdae as possible but Chanyeol as usual have no filter. 

He doesn’t stop the older though, letting him talk about their life because whenever there is something Jongdae shouldn’t know Kyungsoo is quick to answer before Chanyeol can let anything slip. Jongdae barely reacts to Kyungsoo’s noncommittal answers, quickly leaving the topic behind and starting up a new line of questions. 

It’s clear there is some sort of long standing agreement between the two of them because neither of them press the other for information. They trust that when there is nothing said about a subject that’s because it’s something the other shouldn’t know about. But...at the same time Jongin can’t help but feel like there is a lot more said in Kyungsoo’s short one word answers and Jongdae’s raise of an eyebrow. 

After they’ve stopped for lunch at one of the station on the way the tunnel they travel starts to become busier, small parties of wanderers or merchants passing them as they walk. It’s clear they’re nearing one of the busier stations and Jongin can feel himself grow a little excited at the thought of seeing what the equivalent of Seoul City hall looks like in the metro. 

So far he’s been rather underwhelmed by the metro. It looks mostly the same no matter what station they are in. There are some differences in colour on the tiles covering the walls or smell that lingers in the air but it’s like moving between the different floors in a highrise. There isn’t really that much telling them apart. 

People are the same no matter where he moves, pale, thin and with tired eyes. The atmosphere of the tunnels still linger in the air when they’ve long since exited them, the darkness clinging to them no matter where they go. There are always shadows lurking in the corner of his eyes, creeping closer when he isn’t paying attention and disappearing the moment he turns to face them. 

Chanyeol on the other hand had been beyond impressed, gaping at each new station they came across as he took in the main hall and the decorations littering the walls. Jongin had to agree that yes they are pretty but it is just like Kyungsoo had said, they serve as nothing more than a remainder of what they are missing on the surface. 

He misses the surface, misses the sun and the warmth. He is constantly cold down here and not even pulling Kyungsoo close to him in his sleep can chase away the chill that’s settled into his bones. He misses the way people talk up top, misses the trust and familiarity of the highrises. Kyungsoo had taught them to speak in what he called Jeondemal last night after they had accidentally offended Jongdae after speaking in something that Kyungsoo called Banmal. Apparently it has to do with politeness and age hierarchies and being the youngest Jongin isn’t allowed to speak normally to anyone. 

He misses the sky the most. Down here he feels closed in, trapped like some sort of animal. He feels like a train set down on one of the tracks and only allowed to travel in one of two directions. He wants to be able to look around, to be able to scope out the landscape for somewhere to hide if they happen to be attacked but all that is around him now is brick walls and blackness. There isn’t a safe place anywhere between the different stations and it makes him twitchy and snappy. 

He hopes that once they’ve reached the Terminal they’re going to return to the surface or else he’s pretty sure he’s going to go crazy.

They reach the Terminal after another hour of walking and the station appears so suddenly Jongin feels like he has woken up from some sort of dream. He knows they’ve been walking for hours but at the same time it feels like they just stepped foot in the tunnel a minute ago. 

There is a small line in front of a barricade set up a few meters before the tunnel opens up into the station. There are bright spotlights shining into the tunnel and Jongin is blinded for a short moment when they sweep over their small group. 

“You boys have passports right?” Jongdae asks as they line up and Chanyeol gives a short reply in confirmation. Jongin pulls off his bag from his back and pulls out his small ID card as the rest of their party do the same. Kyungsoo and Jongdae’s passports are very similar, thick books filled with stamps from what has to be all over the metro. 

“Are we green today?” Jongdae asks Kyungsoo and the shorter shakes his head. Neither Jongin nor Chanyeol asks what it means despite the fact that Jongin can tell Chanyeol really wants to know what they mean. All earlier tries to get Kyungsoo to explain the secretive language the two of them used had been shot down quickly. If today is anything like yesterday though Jongin can stay calm. Kyungsoo will tell them once they’re alone. 

He likes that Kyungsoo seems to trust them more now. He had thought Kyungsoo trusted them completely before but you don’t really know what you’re missing if you never had it in the first place. There are many things Kyungsoo hadn’t told them about himself that hadn’t came out until after that first day in the metro and despite wishing they never had to go through what they did in the tunnels between Itaewon and Samgakji he is thankful for the trust it has given them in each other. 

They queue quickly moves forwards and before long it’s their turn. Jongdae takes the lead, smiling cheekily as he holds out his passport for inspection. Kyungsoo is next, greeting the guard with a small bow before presenting his identification. The two of them are waved through and then Chanyeol steps up, an arm protectively around Jongin’s waist as he holds out his own papers. Jongin follows suit. 

The guard takes the thin passport and Jongin’s ID card after a short look at them, her impassive face turning into a frown as she turns them over. Jongin sends Kyungsoo a look, silently seeking reassurance but Kyungsoo doesn’t meet his eyes. 

“These aren’t valid.” The guard says as she hands the papers back to them. Jongin feels his stomach constrict as he takes his ID card with hesitant movements. Chanyeol opens his mouth next to him, his arm tightening around Jongin’s waist as he too looks towards Kyungsoo for guidance. 

“They aren’t?” Jongdae asks loudly, walking up to them and Kyungsoo follows quietly behind them with a concerned look on his face. 

“But these are issued by their homes.” Kyungsoo says, looking up at the lady with a questioning frown. His voice is soft, as if he’s trying not to step on any toes and Jongin immediately recognizes it as fake. 

“They aren’t valid for travel through the Terminal and its connected station.” She explains and both Jongdae and Kyungsoo gasps, looking worriedly between the guard and Jongin and Chanyeol. Jongin bites his lip, trying to hold back a snort at the uncharacteristic look on both of their faces. 

“But that can’t do.” Jongdae says, grabbing the passport and ID-card from their hands and handing it over to the lady again. “I think you should check once more.” He says with a calm smile, his eyes suddenly growing hard. 

The lady meets his look with an level stare but Jongdae doesn’t back down. With a small sigh she makes a show of looking over them again before trusting the papers forwards towards Jongdae. 

“They are not valid.” She speaks clearly. Jongdae makes another worried noise, holding a hand over his mouth as he look down at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo is holding his face between his hands, his large eyes almost comically wide. Jongin takes a step behind Chanyeol so he can hide the grin tugging on the corner of his lips. This cannot possibly work. They cannot possibly get them into the Terminal with this bad acting. But if they do Jongin has blackmail material on Kyungsoo for ages. 

“Oh Hyung what will we do?” Kyungsoo asks with an exaggerated gasp, clinging onto Jongdae’s arm and Jongin stuffs a hand into his mouth to stop a snort from escaping. 

“It’s okay, I’m sure she can overlook it this time.” Jongdae says, sounding completely convinced of his words. The guard blinks once at them, still holding out the papers towards Jongdae. “Can’t you?” He asks, looking up at the guard with inquiring look. 

“No.” She answers without hesitation. 

“Oh but I’m sure you can.” Kyungsoo says, his voice suddenly back to his own. 

“Yes. I’m sure of it.” Jongdae agrees, a smirk on his lips as he holds the lady’s stare. “Just like you overlooked the unlisted gun in the bag of the man in front of us.” Jongdae continues and the guard’s eyes widen momentarily. 

“Or like how you overlooked the way your colleague lets merchants selling rice pass without tax as long as he gets a handful.” Kyungsoo adds and the guards starts to look uncomfortable at this point. “Especially considering you do the same.”

“Or like how you illegally placed an order for-” Jongdae starts and the lady trusts the paper forwards towards Jongdae. 

“They can pass. Everything is in order.” She says loudly and Jongdae silently plucks the papers from her hands, holding them out for Jongin and Chanyeol to take. Jongin takes his without a word, raising an eyebrow towards Kyungsoo who doesn’t acknowledge it. Jongdae smiles his kittenish smile towards the guard woman before they turn away and walk towards the stairs leading up to the platform. 

Already Jongin can tell that the Terminal is just as different from the rest of the metro as Seoul City hall is from Yeouido highrise. There are guards posted along the wall, heavy guns slung over their chest and harsh glares aimed towards anyone who stares too long. The area of the platform they’re on are full of people either entering or exiting the station. There are people shouting at them and waving small pieces of papers in their faces and when Jongin accepts one he can see they are information about hotels and restaurants they can visit. 

A little further down the platform a row of three lines of merchants are waiting. They’re queueing in front of a table with stern looking guard who’s filling in something in a book. When asked about it Kyungsoo explains they are going through something he calls customs where they have to declare what they’re bringing in to the station and what they have earned. The management takes a small cut of their earnings. 

Further beyond the customs are an area full of crates and bags and people carrying them around. Just before they enter the arcade Jongin spots what he thinks might be a pig, he has never actually seen one, but it’s out of view before he can get a good look at it. 

The main hall is just as different as the rest of the station have been. There are people absolutely everywhere, screaming and shouting at nobody in particular. There are tables lining the side of the walls selling everything you could ever want and even more. Guns, clothes, ammo, food, furniture, tents, trinkets and even more. 

Jongdae and Kyungsoo lead them through the crowd with practised ease, brushing aside people who try to press samples into their face and pulling Chanyeol or Jongin along whenever they get caught up with a particularly insistent merchant. They are lead towards one of the less busy archades and towards a set of shabby looking tents. 

There is a man standing next to the entrance of one of the tents who greets Kyungsoo with a small nod before gesturing towards the opening. Kyungsoo bows towards him before the group is led inside. Inside is a tired looking lady smoking something that smells strongly of spices. She looks Kyungsoo up and down before a smile grows on her lips, exposing a row of rotten teeth. 

“Kyungsoo-ssi. Long time no see.” She says, her voice rough from years of smoking. Kyungsoo smiles and bows. She bows shallowly back before her eyes roam over Jongin and the rest of the small group. “You have company this time I see.” 

“Soo-min.” Kyungsoo greets with a quiet voice, stepping forwards and gesturing for Jongin and Chanyeol to stay behind himself with a small wave of his hand. “I need a room.” 

“For four?” She asks and Kyungsoo shakes his head. 

“For three.” Kyungsoo confirms and Jongin sends Jongdae a look. The older doesn’t meet his eye, too occupied with inspecting a framed map of the metro hanging from one of the tent walls. 

“Alright. 45 caps.” She says with a grin and a frown grows on Kyungsoo’s face. 

“We only need two bedrolls.” He says pointedly and Soo-min smiles, smoke slipping between the gaps in her teeth. 

“Thrice the people, thrice the price.” She says, her grin widening and Kyungsoo nods and pulls out his cap pouch. Once the caps have been handed over Kyungsoo gestures for them all to follow him deeper inside the tent. There are three curtains hiding openings into the adjacent tents and Kyungsoo pushes aside the leftmost one and waves the three of them inside. 

“45 caps for this?” Jongdae asks as soon as they have entered the room. Jongin can only agree, his eyebrows pulling up into a frown. The room is barely large enough for the three of them and there are no bed frames in the tent, only a mat to protect them from the floor. There are no bedrolls in sight and Jongin has the distinct feeling they might not even get those. 

“It’s usually 12.” Kyungsoo says, hoisting off his backpack. “And Soo-min is to be trusted. The guards won’t bother her and neither will the line 9s.” He explains and Jongdae’s eyebrows rise up in an impressed expression. 

“Does she have room for one more?” He asks and Kyungsoo lets out a low chuckle before looking up at Jongdae with a look Jongin can’t identify. Jongdae laughs in return, reaching out to ruffle Kyungsoo’s hair. Jongin takes a step closer to the shorter. 

“Will I see you tomorrow?” Kyungsoo asks and Jongdae shakes his head. 

“Not if things go the way I want them to.” He says. Jongin frowns, sending Jongdae a look but the older only winks in reply. “See you when fate brings you around.” He says before leaving the room. 

Kyungsoo calls out a goodbye before sitting down on the mats and rolling his shoulders. Chanyeol sits down next to him, pulling the smaller into his lap and Kyungsoo lets him. Jongin shifts on his feet, looking towards the curtain Jongdae had just disappeared behind. He’s not entirely sure he trusts Jongdae and he doesn’t like how the other seem to take everything in a stride. He hasn’t seen the older react to anything with more than a grin. 

“What’s Jongdae doing at the Terminal?” He asks Kyungsoo, allowing himself to be pulled down by Chanyeol’s long arms. 

“Don’t know.” Kyungsoo answers and Jongin turns around to face the smaller. Kyungsoo is resting against Chanyeol’s chest, eyes closed and a calm look on his face. Jongin sucks on his lips, feeling the worry build in his chest. 

“You don’t know?” He asks and Kyungsoo nods, opening his eyes and meeting Jongin’s. He must have seen the worry because the next moment Kyungsoo sits up a little and turns towards Jongin. 

“We don’t tell each other those sort of things. It’s safer that way. I know he’s here on some business errand, off the books, and he knows I’m here for the same sort of reason but no details.” Kyungsoo explains and Jongin nods a little, feeling a little relieved to know Jongdae won’t be able to rat out their mission. It’s not exactly something that should be spread around. The information that they carry with them is enough to cause them a lot of trouble if it falls into the wrong hands. At best they would be labeled liars. At worst they’re labeled terrorists. 

“What about Soo-min?” He asks, grabbing Kyungsoo’s hand and feeling the rough skin on his palms. 

“She doesn’t want to know anything. The less she knows the safer for her and for us.” Kyungsoo explains and Jongin nods, falling back against Chanyeol’s chest. Kyungsoo does the same, closing his eyes once more and sighing happily as Jongin continues to play with his fingers. 

They spend the night tightly huddled under the blankets, the cold of the metro creeping through their mattress and when Jongin wakes up he feels like he’s barely slept at all. Chanyeol is sporting heavy rings under his eyes and Jongin imagines he looks just as bad. Kyungsoo is the only one who seems unaffected by the bad sleep but the more time passes the more Jongin notices that he’s acting a little off. 

“Do you think they’ll listen to us?” Kyungsoo asks before they leave their room, bedrolls tucked away in a corner and backpacks on their backs. Jongin’s steps falters, the realization that if the management doesn’t listen to them, doesn’t believe them, they’ve come all this way for nothing. If the management doesn’t agree to start up discussions with City hall then Kyungsoo’s home is as good as lost. He sends the shorter a look, nothing the tense set of his shoulders and the way his lips are pressed into a tight line. 

“They have to.” Chanyeol says before Jongin can answer, his deep voice stern and with no room for argument. Jongin feels his own shoulders relax a little at the determination in the oldest’s voice and nods. They can’t give up now. They have to push through to the end. 

Kyungsoo sighs, nodding once before pushing the curtain aside and suddenly the same confidence Jongin is so used to seeing is back in his steps. Chanyeol gestures for him to follow and Jongin does so, allowing Kyungsoo to lead them back out of the shabby hotel they spent the night at and back towards the main hall. 

“Management is on the upper floors.” Kyungsoo explains quietly as they enter the main hall. It’s quieter this morning, the merchants still busy with setting up for the day and most people still inside their homes. No one is looking their way and Jongin makes an effort not to let his eyes linger too long at anyone, afraid that it might cause trouble. 

Just like in Hangangjin the escalators to the upper floors are at the end of the main hall. There are two guards posted at the bottom of the stairs whose eyes constantly scan the small group of people in front of them. The crowd pays them no mind, continuing on with their business as if they aren’t even there. 

This is what it must have been like before the bomb fell. A station filled with people going about their buisness, guards stationed around the station making sure everyone is safe. If only he could have seen a train too, so he knows how they fit into the puzzle that is the metro. Jongin has had it explained to him many years ago what the metro used to be. The long snakelike trains that milled around underground and carried people all over Seoul. He imagines them quiet, almost like real snakes, stopping almost unnoticed at the stations and letting people get on and off. 

He almost wants to stop Kyungsoo and ask him if he knows what it used to be like but decides it’s probably better not to. He can tell that underneath the confident look on Kyungsoo’s face hides nervousness. Kyungsoo isn’t one to talk in public in normal circumstances, and even less so when he’s nervous. 

Instead he just follows the shorter up the long climb up the stairs, his legs starting to ache after the first minute despite his thighs being more than used to climbing stairs. It’s like the metro is slowly sucking away at his strength and the longing for the surface and the sun grows inside of him. He hopes that once they’re done with management Kyungsoo will lead them out of the metro once more and into the open air. 

The upper floors are brightly lit, the florescent lights in the ceiling almost bright enough to blind Jongin for a moment. There are fewer people up here but more guards. The merchants here are quiet, standing behind their tables and not even sparing their small group a glance. The wares on their tables are different from the ones below. The clothes better crafted with more details, the furniture decorated with intricate carvings and the food sold a mixture of sausages, grilled meats, cheese and even one vendor selling rice. 

It doesn’t take a lot of brain work to figure out that these are the wealthier parts of the station. It’s clear from the beginning that neither of them fit in here and if hadn’t been for Kyungsoo’s decisive steps Jongin would have thought they are lost. 

Kyungsoo leads them towards a door in the corner of the station guarded by two guards on either side. People make a point of walking as far away from the guards as possible without completely turning away from them. When they notice their group of three nearing the guards raise their weapons, aiming them straight at their chests. 

Jongin instinctively stops, reaching out to stop Chanyeol too. Kyungsoo keeps walking, arms raising as he draws nearer. 

“I’m here to see management.” He says and two of the guards immediately lower their guns. The other two keep their guns raised at Kyungsoo but the closest one takes a step forwards, nodding at Kyungsoo to keep going. 

“I have something to discuss.” He says, lowering his hands. His eyes quickly flicker towards Jongin and Chanyeol who’s still standing back and with a quick jerk of his head he gestures for them to move forwards. After a moment of hesitation Jongin does as he is told, trusting that Kyungsoo won’t lead them into danger. 

“The management is not open for visitors.” The guard says. “Leave before we’re forced to use violence.”

“I carry an important delivery.” Kyungsoo says, eyes level with the guards. 

“The management isn’t expecting one.” The guard says, eyes drilling into Kyungsoo’s. Jongin grabs Chanyeol’s hand, hoping to get the lump away from his guts. 

“It’s unscheduled.” Kyungsoo replies, hands fisting around thin air. “I have proof.” 

“Show me.” The guard demands. “And no funny tricks.” 

The two guards who’s been standing passively suddenly rais their guns, pointing one each on Jongin and Chanyeol. The third guard who hasn’t been talking has his gun aimed at Kyungsoo’s head. Kyungsoo slowly shrugs off his backpack, crouching down and turning it around so the backside of it is exposed to the guard. Jongin can’t see what he does next but a moment later he stands up and holds out the envelope he had showed the council back in Yeouido. There is a bright red wax-seal with the letter T stamped on it. 

The guard takes a step forwards, inspecting the seal before raising a hand. The three other guards immediately lower their guns. Jongin’s grip on Chanyeol lessens. 

“Follow me.” The guard says, turning around and stepping in through the door. Kyungsoo sends them both a quick look before following. Jongin quickly steps forwards, hurrying behind the pair as they’re being led through a short corridor and into a large room. There is a long table set up inside it, an intricate carving of the metro decorating it. Around the table 5 old men are seated. They look up as the guard steps into the room, their eyes trailing up and down the trio in a way that makes Jongin feel smaller than he has in a long time. 

“What is this?” One of them asks and the guard bows deeply before replying. 

“There is a currier here to see you. He’s carrying a message with the official stamp.” The guard says and the old man, Jongin assumes him to be the head of the management, nods once waving at the guard to leave. The guard does so with another deep bow. 

“Management.” Kyungsoo says, bowing deeply. Jongin follows suit, bowing almost 90 degrees and from the corner of his eyes he sees Chanyeol do the same. “I carry an important message, but not the one your guard told you about.” He says and the leader raises a thin eyebrow. “I am sorry for deceiving but it is of utmost importance.” 

“Go on.” The leader says, leaning back into his chair. The rest of the management around the table does the same, eyeing them like they’re worth less than the dirt under their shoes. 

“We carry a message from above. My companions here, “Kyungsoo gestures towards Jongin and Chanyeol. “ Live above, outside the metro.” He pauses, looking over at the leader. The man stares back at him with the same passive look as he held before. Kyungsoo shifts his weight, seeming a little thrown off by the lack of reaction. 

“Um...we come here on behalf of Seoul City hall, a highrise located north from here. On the surface. Up top.” He says and the leader waves at him to go on. “The City hall have discovered that the Conductors originate from the metro and in order to save the highrises up top, they have decided to blow up the entrances to the metro, thus trapping them down here.” Kyungsoo pauses once more, waiting for any sort of reaction. The leader raises his eyebrows and Kyungsoo. “And by doing so they would be trapping us, most likely causing major harm to most of our stations and the ventilation systems.” Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, looking over the management. 

Jongin reaches out and gently grabs Chanyeol’s hand, not liking the way the management is looking at them. He wishes he could go up to Kyungsoo, pull the shorter behind them and take his place. He doesn’t like Kyungsoo having to do this alone, but at the same time he knows Kyungsoo would see their involvement as a sign of weakness. And Jongin has the distinct feeling that any signs of weakness now and the management would devour them whole. 

“And the reason you’re here?” The leader asks and Kyungsoo nods, clearing his throat. 

“The Seoul City hall offers refuge to the residents of the metro, to what extent and for what cost is unknown but they are extending their hand to us and suggests their council and you meet to discuss their proposal.” Kyungsoo explain, the tone of his voice clearly telling them what he thinks of having to discuss the safety of the people of the metro. 

“I see.” The leader says, looking towards the rest of the men around the table. They look back, a silent message being relayed between them before they once more turn their eyes towards Kyungsoo. 

“We appreciate the effort you have gone through to deliver this message to us.” The leader says and it’s clear in his voice that he thinks the exact opposite. “But how do we know what you’re saying is true?” He asks and Jongin feels his stomach clench. 

“Well, we had a representative but she was lost on our trip here.” Kyungsoo explains, his hands clenching once more. 

“So you don’t have proof.” The leader summarises and Kyungsoo quickly shakes his head. 

“No we do, or we had but you have to believe us. This is for the safety of the metro.” He says, taking a step forwards. The leader holds up his hand, stopping Kyungsoo. 

“The metro is safe right now. We will not put that safety at risk for some rumors.” He says, a sly smile growing on his lips. Jongin gets the distinct feeling that there is something they aren’t being told. 

“But this isn’t just some rumor. It’s facts, and the whole metro is at risk. This risk keeps growing with each second we’re discussing this.” Kyungsoo argues, his voice raising slightly before he sucks in a deep breath and clenches his fists, clearly holding himself back. 

“There is nothing threatening the metro my dear currier.” The leader says and Jongin feels Chanyeol’s fingers grip his hand so hard it’s starting to hurt. He looks to the side, seeing Chanyeol look at the management with fire in his eyes. Jongin feels the same anger burn inside of himself and can only imagine how Kyungsoo must feel right now. 

Their whole trip, everything they have fought for since they left Yeouido, is being thrown into their face like it’s nothing. They’ve risked their life several times over to get here. They’ve lost people to get here. And nothing of that have no meaning. 

“I have proof.” Kyungsoo spits and the leader raises an interested eyebrow. 

“You do?” He asks at the same time as Chanyeol quietly whispers the same. Jongin frowns, watching Kyungsoo pull up the same note he showed the currier and slamming on the table. 

“There. From Sinmokdong management. Proof that the Conductors are threatening the metro and that they need to be stopped. The same proof that gave Seoul City hall their trust in us.” He bites out before taking a step back. The management slowly turns their eyes towards the note before one of them pick it up. 

“This has been opened.” The leader says as the one who picked it up easily opens it up, showing where the seal has been peeled away from the note. 

“To show the Seoul City hall’s council.” Kyungsoo lies and Jongin quickly nods, squeezing Chanyeol’s hand tightly as the management looks between each other. It isn’t too far from the truth. After all the note had been opened to show a council and that in turn had lead them to Seoul City hall and the discovery of the Passengers’ origins. 

The leader holds out his hand for the note, reading through it before looking up at Kyungsoo with a look that has Jongin’s blood run cold. A smile slowly spreads over his lips as he lets the letter fall down on the table again. 

“So this is proof is it?” The leader asks and Kyungsoo quickly nods. “Oh I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” He says and leans back into his chair. 

“What do you mean, sir?” Kyungsoo asks through clenched teeth. 

“Well for one, this supposed letter from Sinmokdong lacks their official stamp.” He says and Kyungsoo opens his mouth to protest but before he can get a word out the leader holds up a hand and continue. “Second, even if this happens to be a real letter surely this Conductor problem is one we should have heard of before. Just one letter addressed from weeks ago is not going to convince us. And thirdly, don’t think we don’t know what you do on this station Do Kyungsoo, what you have brought in and what carry with you. Too many walks in the metro can have quite the effect on the psyche after all.” The leader ends with a grin and Kyungsoo let’s out a growl, stepping forwards but before he can reach the table Chanyeol has his arms around his waist and is holding him back. 

“WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE LIFE OF THOUSANDS!” Kyungsoo roars, struggling in Chanyeol’s hold. 

“Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol warns, struggling to turn Kyungsoo away from the management. Jongin moves forwards with the intent to help Chanyeol hold Kyungsoo back before something bad happens. 

“Guards!” The leader calls calmly, seeming unaffected by the still struggling Kyungsoo. Chanyeol has managed to turn Kyungsoo around, the taller holding him against his chest and making the shorter stand on his tippy toes. Jongin is bowing at the management as he tries to gesture towards Chanyeol that they should probably leave. 

A moment later the guards from earlier step into the room, their guns immediately raised and pointed towards the trio. Kyungsoo stills, his chest heaving as he glares at the guards. 

“Take them away from here. And ban Do Kyungsoo from ever entering the Terminal again. They have until tomorrow morning to leave the station.” The leader says and the guards nod, moving forwards towards the trio. 

With an angry huff Kyungsoo tears himself free from Chanyeol’s grasp, glaring at the guards before walking forwards. Jongin bows once more before following, Chanyeol trailing behind him as they chase after Kyungsoo. 

The shorter is walking on quick feet towards the escalators, anger practically radiating from him. Jongin has to break out into a jog to catch up with the shorter. Chanyeol calls out for Kyungsoo behind him but Kyungsoo ignores it, roughly pushing past one of the residents. Jongin bows once more before he catches up with Kyungsoo. 

“Soo-ya wait.” He calls but Kyungsoo ignores him, starting to head down the stairs. Jongin follows, struggling to keep up with the other as they rush down the stairs. He casts a pleading look behind himself towards Chanyeol but the older looks just as lost as Jongin feels. 

What are they supposed to do now? Is there even anything they can do now? Their only hope has been that the Terminal management would believe them. If not they couldn’t return to the City hall and then all would be lost. The City hall would bomb the metro entrances and the people in the stations would be killed, buried under rubble or slowly suffocating to death as the ventilation gave up. 

Sure the above would be fine, the Passenger attacks would stop, but Kyungsoo would lose his home. He would have nothing left from the metro. All there would be left is the memories, painful searing memories. The same memories Jongin have of his highrise, of his home and his childhood. Friends and family lost to never be seen again. 

Sure he has found a new home with Chanyeol but there is no replacing what had been torn from him. No matter how much Chanyeol tries he can never erase the memories of his friends, his family, his home or the loss of it. And Kyungsoo has already lost his entire world once. Jongin can’t let it happen again. There has to be something that can be done. 

But there isn’t. 

Kyungsoo doesn’t stop until almost 10 minutes later, his chest heaving with effort and his hands shaking with anger. Jongin stops a few steps away from Kyungsoo, unsure what to do to help the shorter. Chanyeol pushes past him, moving to envelop Kyungsoo in a hug but Jongin grabs his shirt before he can. It’s probably for the best to not touch the other right now. 

“Kyungsoo?” Jongin asks carefully and Kyungsoo’s shoulders raise as he sucks in a deep breath before he turns to face Jongin with a barely composed look. 

“I’m fine. It’s fine.” He says, sounding anything but fine. “It’s fine.” He repeats, clearing his throat before shrugging his shoulders. “I’m fine.” 

“You don’t have to be.” Chanyeol says, taking a careful step forwards. Kyungsoo shakes his head, holding up a hand to stop the other. 

“I’m fine.” He bites out, drawing in a deep breath with such effort Jongin winces at the action. He opens his mouth, wishing he could say anything to comfort Kyungsoo but words have always been Chanyeol’s strong side and even he doesn’t know what to do now. 

All their efforts for naught. Kyungsoo’s home lost forever. 

Is there even anything to say? Anything anyone of them could say to make this better? He doesn’t think so. 

“I’m sorry.” Jongin says, because he has to say something. He wishes he could have done more. He wishes he could have stopped this, stopped another person from losing their home. He wishes he could have done something for the thousands of people living in the metro also about to lose their home. He wishes he could have done more, so so much more. 

“Don’t!” Kyungsoo warns, sending a glare Jongin’s way. Chanyeol takes that moment to envelop Kyungsoo in a hug. Much to Jongin’s surprise Kyungsoo lets him, relaxing his head against Chanyeol’s chest as the taller presses a kiss on the top of Kyungsoo’s head.

Jongin steps forwards, wrapping himself around Kyungsoo too, just as much for the sake of Kyungsoo as for himself. He can feel Kyungsoo shaking against his chest but it’s not the tremble from crying, it’s out of rage. He presses a short kiss to Kyungsoo’s cheek, hoping to calm the other one down before removing himself from the hug. 

He’ll do fine, Kyungsoo is the one that needs it. So he lets Chanyeol continue to whisper quiet words of reassurance into Kyungsoo’s ears. Instead he rests a hand on Kyungsoo’s back, letting him now he’s there too, and looks around the platform. 

It’s almost empty, a rare sight for any inhabited station as far as Jongin knows. There are no guards here, no merchants lining up for customs and no people going in and out of the station. The platform is dimly lit, stopping him from seeing too much of it, and the floor is filled with mud dragged in from the tunnels. 

The only other people on the platform as far as Jongin can see is a group sitting by what looks like a small cart. There are three of them, two women and one man. The two women are smoking something, sitting close together and sharing the cigarette between each other, and the man is leaning against a sack of something, looking half way to asleep. 

Jongin gets the distinct feeling that this part of the Terminal is the opposite from the one they just left, the poorest part rarely looked after and left to fend for its own. It’s a good place to be if you want to be unnoticed, but only if you know how to make it seem like you belong. Otherwise you’re easy picking for whoever happens upon you. Right now the three of them are doing anything but blending in. Fortunately no one seems to be paying them any mind. 

“I’m fine.” Kyungsoo says after a minute, removing himself from Chanyeol’s arms and taking a deep breath. His hands have stopped shaking and his breathing is much more even. While he doesn’t look fine Jongin can agree to the fact that he does look better. 

“Good.” Jongin says, smiling softly at him. Kyungsoo weakly returns it before looking around the station. 

“Where are we?” Chanyeol asks, moving over to wrap an arm around Jongin’s waist. Jongin leans against the taller’s chest, knowing Chanyeol does this more for his own comfort than he does for Jongin’s. He’s always been a more physical person than both Jongin are and Sehun had been. And it seems like Kyungsoo is even less physical than Jongin. 

“West facing track on the number 7 line.” Kyungsoo asks and it tells Jongin nothing. “Smuggling platform. The rest of the Terminal pretends it doesn’t exist.” He explains and Chanyeol nods with a small noise of understanding. 

“What are we going to do now?” Jongin asks, knowing it’s the question that plays on all of their minds. Chanyeol shrugs with a deep sigh, looking at Kyungsoo expectantly. Kyungsoo’s always had a plan so far but Jongin doubts he has one now. 

“I need to get to Sinmokdong.” He says. “We need to take a hand car. If there is one place we can find one willing to take us it’s here.” He says, looking around himself. His eyes momentarily lands on the cart by the three others before it continues down the station. 

“Alright.” Chanyeol says, nodding. He knows as well as Jongin that there is no use going to Sinmokdong now. They have no way of saving the station but if Kyungsoo wants to say goodbye who is he to stop him. As long as they can get there before the City hall acts. They have another week at most to get there and from what he remembers of the metro map Kyungsoo’s home station is even further away than the City hall. 

They probably won’t make it. Which means they have to talk Kyungsoo out of his plan and head back up to the surface. He looks up at Chanyeol who meets his eye for a brief moment. He seems to be thinking the same thing but neither of them have the heart to say it. 

“Wow, fancy meeting you all here!” A voice suddenly says behind them and Jongin turns around, coming face to face with Jongdae once more. He’s grinning, like he always is, but his forehead is shining with sweat and his eyes flicker between the three of them and the rest of the station. Jongin takes a hesitant step back. 

“Hyung?” Kyungsoo asks, stepping forwards until he is face to face with Jongdae who nods quickly at Kyungsoo. The older draws in a heavy breath, panting slightly as if having run recently. 

“So how did your thing go?” Jongdae asks, looking at Kyungsoo with inquiring eyes. Kyungsoo’s lip draw into a thin line. “That bad?” Jongdae continues without an answer, looking around the platform as if searching for something. “I guess we’re both in the same boat then.” He laughs, pulling his backpack off of his shoulders. 

“You could say that.” Kyungsoo says, raising an eyebrow as Jongdae pulls out a heavy looking gun from his bag. Jongin takes another step back, hiding slightly behind Chanyeol. 

“You know how we always dance around the subject of what the other is doing.” Jongdae says, checking the clip for ammo as he talks. Kyungsoo makes a noncommittal noise, also starting to look a little weirded out by the other’s behaviour. “Yeah fuck that.” Jongdae says and slides the clip into place with a click. 

“Do you know anything about the Conductors and their origins having been confirmed to be the metro?” Jongdae asks and Jongin feels his mouth fall open. He thought no one except the three of them knew of that. They haven’t told anyone except the management and that had been litteral minutes ago, there is no way that Jongdae could know.

“Yes.” Kyungsoo says with a frown, question clear in his voice. Jongdae nods, gesturing towards Kyungsoo to hurry up. “We carry a message from the main highrise up top that if nothing else is negotiated the City hall will blow up the entrances to the metro in 6 days.” Kyungsoo spills quickly, clearly sensing that Jongdae isn’t fucking around. “But the management didn’t believe us so nothing will be negotiated.” 

“Awesome.” Jongdae answers, slinging an arm around Kyungsoo and turning him around. Jongin and Chanyeol step to the side as Jongdae starts to lead the shorter forwards. “Well it seems like other City hall people got here before you, because they have already negotiated with the management that the people of the Terminal as well as Gangnam is going to be given refuge at the City hall and some other highrise or whatever they called it. Oh and the rest of the metro will be blown up. The Terminal is going to cut off their tunnels as well as Gangnam’s so no one can get out while the City hall takes care of metro entrances.” Jongdae explains quickly, leading Kyungsoo closer and closer to the rails. Jongin quickly follows as soon as Jongdae starts explaining, feeling a frown grow on his face. Chanyeol asks them to hold on, stumbling to catch up. 

“How do you know this?” Chanyeol asks, frowning at Jongdae who shrugs noncommittally before opening his mouth again. 

“I might have been eavesdropping on some important management meeting where they might have relayed this to the guards who are going to carry out the bombing.” He says with a grin and Jongin feels his eyes widen. 

“You knew this was being discussed?” Kyungsoo stops and asks and Jongdae nods quickly. “Why didn’t you say anything.”

“Same reason you didn’t Kyungie. Now. I know that this whole the metro is about to be destroyed thing is pressing but we have a bigger problem at hand right now.” He says, pulling Kyungsoo along once more. 

“What did you do?” Kyungsoo asks with a groan. 

“You know how to work a hand car, right?” Jongdae asks instead of answering the question and Jongin realizes they’re heading towards the group of three resting on a cart on the rail. They seem to have noticed the same thing because one of the girls are busy trying to wake up the sleeping man. 

“Jongdae.” Kyungsoo warns. 

“Well you see I might have been caught, totally not my fault, and they might be following me here and I might need an escape companion.” He explains, looking over at Kyungsoo and mouthing ‘oops’ before turning towards the trio on the cart and aiming his gun at them. 

“Hi! We need that.” He says, gesturing towards the cart and Kyungsoo sighs before pulling his own gun out of his backpack and gesturing it towards the trio. Chanyeol makes a shocked noise, raising his hands in surrender despite none of the guns out being aimed at him. Jongin pulls out his own gun, just to be safe. If things are about to turn ugly he doesn’t need to be caught off guard. 

“Alright alright. Take it. It’s not ours.” One of the girls say, quickly hopping off the handcart. Jongdae grins at her and leaps down on the track, gun still trained at her. Kyungsoo follows, his gun aimed at the man. Jongin does the same, waving at Chanyeol to follow them when the taller hesitates. 

“Chanyeol, grab the lever. We’re going for a ride.” Jongdae calls, jumping up on the cart before grabbing one of the handles. Kyungsoo jumps up next, not letting the trio out of his sight despite all of them quickly hurrying away from the cart. Jongin puts his gun away, heaving himself up on the cart. 

“You! STOP!” A voice calls out over the platform and Jongin whips around, spotting a guard pointing at them. Three more guards quickly follow, their guns already in their hands. He scrambles to grab his own gun, his heart suddenly stuck in his throat as he sees the guards raise their pipes at them. 

“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo screams, opening fire the next second and hitting one of the guards square in the head. The gunshot echoes around the empty platform, earning cries of surprise from hidden residents. The guard falls limply to the side, the left side of his face gone. Jongin feels his stomach turn as he forces his own shaking hands to aim at the remaining guards. 

Another gunshot rings out, and then another and soon the only thing Jongin can hear is the firing of guns. He squeezes his trigger down, firing off a short burst which tears into the chest of one of the guards, forcing him down to the ground as blood pools around him. There is a small pile of guards at this point, Kyungsoo’s shots so precise it’s frightening. 

The cart lurches forwards, Jongdae screaming at them to keep shooting as the stations slowly starts rolling past them. Jongin forces himself to squeeze the trigger again, this time hitting one of the guards and a civilian fleeing from the platform. It’s not the only civilian caught in the crossfire. Two more lay on the platform, murdered by their bullets or the guard’s Jongin doesn’t know. 

He fires off another round, as Kyungsoo crouches down to reload, his bullets hitting nothing but tile as the speed of the cart throws his aim off. The cart is quickly picking up speed, making them harder and harder to hit as they speed out from the station and into the pitch blackness that is the tunnel. 

The last thing Jongin sees before the last lights of the station leave them is the guards turning their guns on the remaining people on the station, shooting them down with no hesitation. 

“No witnesses.” Kyungsoo whispers.


	22. Chapter 22 - Kyungsoo

He has known Jongdae since he was nine years old. The man is like a brother to him. When Kyungsoo had lost his family he had spent a year at Samgakji, doing whatever he could to stay alive. People are kind there and Kyungsoo feels that it is one of the few places left in the metro where humanity still exists. But they have to survive just like everyone else, which means there is only so much help they can give. 

When Jongdae had arrived at the station he had been kind enough to feed Kyungsoo one meal and the younger had latched onto him ever since. Jongdae likes to pretend he is heartless, that he will only do things if it means he can profit something from it too but Kyungsoo knows him better. However, the man is far from as good hearted as Chanyeol or Jongin, far too used to the kill or be killed world that is the metro. 

He really should count himself lucky that Jongdae had looked at him twice all those years ago, that he had allowed Kyungsoo to join him on the long walk back to Sinmokdong. He could have left him at Samgakji and Kyungsoo would have surely been dead within a year. Instead he had been taken back home and Baekhyun’s family had taken him in. Jongdae had kept coming back to Sinmokdong, either on smuggling business or with a merchant's convoy, and each time he had checked up on Kyungsoo. 

Once Kyungsoo was thirteen he had started tagging along with Jongdae, learning the different rules of the trade and at 15 Kyungsoo had decided to pick up the currier trade, deciding to go a slightly different route than Jongdae who specializes in wares and trading. He had always been better at people interaction than Kyungsoo and while Kyungsoo’s haggling skills are nothing to be ashamed of Jongdae could sell you your own coat if you got him going. 

As they travel through the dark tunnels, Jongdae’s grinning face in front of him as the two of them pump the lever, he can’t help but feel like he’s fourteen again. He almost wishes he was. That had been back before the Conductors started attacking for real, back before the fate of the whole metro had rested on his shoulders. Back before he had doomed the metro. 

“What’s with the long face?” Jongdae asks, his voice breathless. They’ve been pumping for the past two hours. Jongin and Chanyeol had taken the first two hours and the two of them are now resting on the wood floor, curled up around each other and halfway to asleep. 

“Tired.” Kyungsoo lies. He doesn’t want to tell Jongdae that it’s his fault that they’re on the run. He doesn’t want to say that he’s the one to blame why they’re heading towards Guil station so Jongdae can warn his own home that they need to evacuate to the surface or else they’ll all be killed. If he hadn’t told Junmyeon and Minseok about his letter they would have never contacted Seoul City hall and then they would have never found out where the Conductors came from and this goose chase would have never started. 

But then again, he had only wanted to save his home from the Conductors. He had never meant for any of this to happen. And if he hadn’t told them what’s to say the Conductors hadn’t taken over the metro in the end. No matter what the metro would have lost in the end, and he is to blame. His stomach twists uncomfortably, his rhythm failing for a moment and the lever slips through his fingers, almost hitting him in the face. 

“Woah! Careful. You really that tired?” Jongdae asks as Kyungsoo gets hold of the lever again, starting to pump in rhythm once more. Kyungsoo nods, swallowing down the guilt and focusing on putting more force behind his pumps. 

“Think you can hold out for an hour more? We’ll be at Sindorim by then and we can’t take the cart any further there.” Jongdae asks, a softness to his voice Kyungsoo rarely hears. He nods once more, mustering up a smile in return for Jongdae. 

“I’m fine. Just a long day.” He says and Jongdae nods. Silence lovers itself over them again, the only sound heard is the creaking of the lever as they move it up and down. The tunnel zooms past them quietly, the humming of the tunnel calm in Kyungsoo’s ears. He hasn’t heard the darkness since Itaewon and it relaxes his tense muscles a little. The line they’re traveling on, line number 2, the ring line, is known to be safe but one can never be too sure. Lines previously known as safe has been branded dangerous far too many times over the last few years. 

The darkness is taking over, slowly but surely consuming the metro from the inside. The Conductors has to be a consequence of it. As well as the steady decline in livable stations and incline in mutant frequency. He just hopes that once this is all said and done, once he is finished with this no matter the outcome, the surface will be safe from the darkness residing within these tunnels. 

He takes a deep breath, blinking the sweat away from his eyes and focuses on pumping. Dwelling on the past does no one any good. He has never done it before and he’s not going to start doing it now. All he can change is the present and right now that means getting back to Sinmokdong as soon as possible so he might be able to save a small part of his home. 

They arrive at Sindorim 50 minutes later, Kyungsoo and Jongdae manning the cart the entire way. Jongin and Chanyeol wake up at the last 15 minutes, making small talk with Jongdae who is more than happy to talk about his work in the metro. Kyungsoo doesn’t point out how Jongdae conveniently leaves out some of the more incriminating parts of his profession. 

Once they roll in on the station they quickly make their way into the main hall, Jongdae heading towards the arcades leading to the blue line. Kyungsoo struggles to keep up, his legs beyond tired from having worked so long but his stubbornness strong enough to keep him going. 

“I guess this is goodbye for now.” Jongdae says as he nears the arcade connecting the two lines together. “You’re going to continue on the ring line?” He asks and Kyungsoo shakes his head. It’s too dangerous. The line is one of the most watched over in the metro, creating a border between the more well off inner stations and the outer stations left to fend for themselves. On the ring line word travels fast, the design of it making it perfect for transport and Kyungsoo is sure he has already been listed as wanted. He might be able to take himself through to Sinmokdong from here but there is no way he’s going to manage to smuggle two people without passports with a wanted notice on his head. 

“We’ll be going up top.” He says, ignoring Chanyeol’s noise of surprise behind him. Jongdae nods, leaning towards the tiled walls. Kyungsoo can see he’s just as tired as himself but the other hides it well under a mask of indifference. 

“I’ll see you up there then?” Jongdae asks and Kyungsoo nods, meeting the older’s eyes for a quick moment. They’re doing what they’ve always done, saying one thing and meaning another. Neither of them know if they’ll get out of this alive. They have no idea when the bombs will blow, no idea how many they can save until then. The Terminal knows they know and that they’ve left the Terminal alive. Their next move is making sure that the word doesn’t spread through the metro, weather that be by catching the pair of them or dooming the metro a few days earlier than planned makes no difference to them. 

“Yeouido highrise.” Kyungsoo says. “We’ll be there.” 

“See you Kyungie.” Jongdae reaches out and squeezes his shoulder, smiling a tight lipped smile at him before he disappears into the arcade. Kyungsoo can’t help but feel like this is the last time he’ll ever see the man. 

He stays still for a moment longer, gathering himself. Jongin’s hand quietly grips around his own and the gesture comforts him more than he dares to say. He gives the hand a squeeze, drawing in a deep breath before turning towards Jongin and Chanyeol. 

They’re looking at him with trusting eyes, awaiting his next words and Kyungsoo wishes he had time to properly thank them for everything they had done. But right now time is the last thing he has and once this is all over they will have all the time in the world to just be together. 

“We’re heading up top again.” He says and Chanyeol nods. “Sinmokdong is north of here. We have to warn them before-” The words catches in his throat. He doesn’t want to think of what will happen if they’re too late. 

“Let’s go.” Chanyeol whispers, reaching out for his hand and Kyungsoo gratefully takes it, happy to let Chanyeol take the lead for a moment. 

The stairs up to the top floors are blocked up by a barricade that they easily sneak over. There are no guards around to stop them and none of the residents in the station spares them a second glance. The climb up the many stairs eats away at him like a fire at wood. It burns in his thighs and his knees are starting to ache but neither Jongin or Chanyeol offers to stop, much to his relief. They must understand just how much it means to him to reach Sinmokdong one last time before it’s gone forever. 

Once they’ve finally reached the top Kyungsoo easily navigates them to an unobstructed entrance. Just like at most entrances there is a metal gate separating them from the surface, keeping the light out and the darkness inside. There is a small metal padlock keeping this door closed and to think that something so small can keep two worlds separate is almost absurd. 

They take a moment to pack away the gear they need for the metro and outfitting themselves with caps and sunglasses once more to keep protected from the sun. His sister’s green scarf he has been wearing since they entered the metro is carefully folded away in the bottom of his backpack, kept safe underneath his food provisions and spare clips. 

The padlock comes away almost too easily, just a quick bullet from Jongin’s gun and then the sun beats down on them once more. Despite the sunglasses and caps all of them struggle to see, their eyes unused to the brightness after spending so long in the dim light of the metro. 

“Which way are we going?” Chanyeol asks once they’ve reached the top of the stairs, his gun raised and ready for anything that might be lurking. Jongin is next to him, gun also at ready but thankfully there is no other living thing in sight. Kyungsoo squints, trying to make out his surroundings. 

There is a small river next to them, the water surprisingly clear and on the other side of the street there is nothing but rubble. Almost the whole area is nothing more than ruins, stones and concrete in piles. The dust cloud must have hit hard here. In the distance he can spot still standing buildings and a tall silhouette hints at a highrise just behind them. 

“North.” Kyungsoo says, hoping Jongin and Chanyeol has some way of orientation up here without a map. 

“Should be that way.” Jongin says, the river behind him as he points towards the buildings in the distance. “Nightfall should be in some hours, we should try to reach that highrise before then.” 

Kyungsoo nods, hoisting his backpack further up his back and willing his tired legs to move. Chanyeol lowers his gun and joins him in the front while Jongin takes up the back, gun still raised. Kyungsoo decides to leave his gun strapped to his front, trusting Jongin to keep an eye out for any dangers. From what Chanyeol’s told him Jongin is one of the better scouts in Yeouido, confident with a gun and a good pair of eyes that are hard to hide from. 

They decide to walk the straightest way towards the highrise, climbing over the rumble for as long as possible before wearing off to a street. The area around them is picked clean, something Kyungsoo has learned means there are people living nearby.

The walk is made in silence, neither of them in the mood to talk. Kyungsoo focuses on moving forwards, on not letting his legs give out under him despite how much they ache. He has to reach Sinmokdong. He has to save them. He has to see Baekhyun one last time, repay him and his family for saving him all those years ago. 

The sun burns against his skin, adding another layer of sweat to his rough skin. The air up here is easier to breathe, filtered through his mask, but it lacks the distinct smell of the metro and Kyungsoo can’t help but wonder if he’ll ever scent it again. Chanyeol and Jongin switch between walking next to him, watching over him without saying a word. 

Kyungsoo almost wants to ask Jongin what it is like to lose his home, to have it ripped from him by circumstances he too can’t control but the words won’t make it past his lips. They get stuck in his chest, swriweled up in the knot of worry there and solidified into a heavy lump. Jongin seems to notice that something is wrong though because he takes a step closer to Kyungsoo, making the other look up. 

“We’ll make it.” He says, sounding sure of himself. Kyungsoo nods, clearing his throat. He knows they’re just empty words but he appreciates them nonetheless. 

“How long ago was it that Yongwang...” Kyungsoo asks, hating that he has to bring it up but he needs to know. 

“Four years ago.” Jongin answers without hesitation. “Sehun died two years ago. It still hurts but we survived. Life goes on. It might feel like the end of the world but somehow it’s not.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo nods. Life goes on, just like it had done after his first walk through the tunnels between Hangangjin and Samgakji. Like it had done once he had reached the surface. It would go on now too, weather they reached Sinmokdong on time or not the days would still pass. Kyungsoo isn’t so sure he wants them to. 

“You just have to make sure it doesn’t consume you.” Jongin adds with a bitter voice. He knows Jongin is most likely talking from experience. He might not have heard the whole story about what happened after Sehun died but he knows it hit Jongin harder than it hit Chanyeol. 

“How do I do that?” He asks before he can stop himself. He wishes he can take the words back. He doesn’t want them to worry about him, doesn’t want to show that he’s doubting. He has to stay strong, has to keep moving forwards or he might as well just lay down and die. If he gives up now he will never forgive himself. 

“You have us for that.” Chanyeol says from his side, having walked up to them during the conversation and Kyungsoo let’s the taller pull him into a sideways hug. He laughs lightly, pushing away from Chanyeol who’s bright smile can be seen even under the mask. 

“Stop thinking about such depressing things. Jongdae said we still have time to get to Sinmokdong.” Chanyeol says and Kyungsoo nods, drawing a deep breath and feeling some of the exhaustion leave him. Chanyeol is right, both of them are. There is no use dwelling on what ifs. He has to stay strong and keep walking. Jongin and Chanyeol will be there if he needs anyone to lean on. 

They cross yet another street, the sun starting to set and the temperature dropping to bearable levels. The highrise is only some 20 minutes away. They’ll make it before nightfall and then tomorrow they might even reach Sinmokdong. 

The tall buildings on either side obstructs any view of their surroundings other than up and down the street they’re walking on. They look like old residents buildings but no clues as to who might have lived there are left. What the dust cloud hadn’t erased has been picked clean years ago by scouts. There had to have been a lot of things hiding in these houses long ago, useful things that probably helped the highrise get on its feet quickly. Kyungsoo wonders if this highrise will differ from the others they have visited on their long trek. More than anything he hopes there is plenty of food inside. They haven’t eaten since that morning and he is beyond starving. 

He never gets to find out. The next moment a low rumble shakes the ground and a moment later another. The trio stops, Jongin immediately raising his gun and Kyungsoo doing the same shortly after. The rumble happens again, this time closer and the way the ground rumbles lights sparks of familiarity in Kyungsoo’s mind. 

“Crawlers?” He asks Chanyeol, taking a step away from the rumbling. It’s coming from their right, beyond the buildings surrounding them. 

“No.” Chanyeol shakes his head. “Too big.” He slowly picks up his own gun, looking down the sight above the buildings. Kyungsoo does the same, spotting nothing. 

“We should move.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo nods. Slowly, as to not make any noise, they start moving towards the next crossing, taking a left this time instead of continuing forwards. The ground rumbles again, shaking bad enough for Kyungsoo to feel it affect him. Whatever it is it has to be huge. He hopes it doesn’t come their way. 

“Come on.” Jongin whispers, crouching down a little before starting to jog down the street. Kyungsoo follows, ignoring how his thighs scream at him. They hurry down yet another street, quickly putting some distance between themselves and whatever it is causing the rumbling. 

The ground shakes again, harder this time, and Kyungsoo stumbles. His hands sting as they smash into the ground beneath him. He sucks in a breath, trying to get his feet back under him as the ground rumbles again. Chanyeol stumbles down next to him, catching himself in the last second and holding out a hand for Kyungsoo. He takes it, pulling himself upright and casting a quick look to make sure they aren’t followed. 

An icy blue eye stares back at him. 

“RUN!” He roars, scrambling to get going. The Conductor is barely 200 meters behind them, having climbed over the buildings they had been next to mere minutes ago. Its lone eye is aimed right at them, clearly spotting easy prey. 

He hears Chanyeol curse behind him and sees terror fill Jongin’s eyes as he looks back at what’s following them. Adrenaline fills Kyungsoo so quickly he almost gets lightheaded, all previous signs of exhaustion gone as he sprints down the street in front of them. There are no signs of shelter anywhere he looks, no place to hide. 

A deafening screech fills the air, the sound beating against his eardrums, and the ground shakes as the Conductor takes another step forwards. His feet pound against the pavement, his arms pumping by his side. The warm air burns in his chest, making it hard to breathe, but he can’t stop. 

A second screech, quieter but just as gut wrenching, fills the air and Kyungsoo feels his heart ache in his chest. Two Conductors, there are two Conductors behind them. There is no way they’re getting out of this alive. He casts a look behind himself, seeing Chanyeol sprint next to him, eyes wide with horror. To his left is Jongin, face empty of any emotions. He’s mumbling something desperately under his breath and Kyungsoo can’t make out what it is. He’s not entirely sure he wants to. 

Behind them the Conductor have crouched down on all four, tongue lolling out of it’s open mouth. Kyungsoo turns his eyes forwards again, willing his limbs to speed up even more. His chest burns, pain jolting up his legs with each step, but the fear coursing through his blood forces his body to keep moving forwards. 

The ground shakes as the Conductor takes its first sprinting step, hard enough to make Kyungsoo’s feet leave the ground for a second. He stumbles as his knees fold, arms flailing to try and keep upright, and Jongin and Chanyeol shoots past him. In the last second he manages to get control over his legs once more, letting out a cry as he forces himself to move even faster, push even harder. 

He can hear it, the Conductor, hear the darkness radiating from it echo inside his skull. He can hear the desire to hunt, the eagerness to kill, to make bleed. He can hear it’s low chuckle, each syllable booming inside his head. His body feels cold, the sun not strong enough to chase away the icy darkness that is slowly filling him. 

He can see Chanyeol stumble as the Conductor roars inside his head, the humming of the darkness increasing to the point where blinding pain explodes behind Kyungsoo’s eyes. The ground shakes under him again but this time he’s ready for it, legs pushing away forwards as soon as they make contact with the ground again. 

He knows the Conductor is chasing after them now, knows that with each rumble it’s getting closer and closer and soon it will be right on top of them. He knows what those teeth can do, how easily it cuts a human in half. He knows the strength behind those hands and how the impact can turn a human into nothing more than a limp doll. He knows the malice in the Conductors, the way they like to toy with their prey because they know that no matter what, humans will always lose to them. 

The chuckles in his head draws nearer, the knowledge that soon the chase will be over filling him and Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin and Chanyeol in front of him. If any one of them have to die, he hopes it him. He can’t survive losing both his home and the one’s he loves the most. So he’s selfish. He wishes for the pain to end for him, even if it means pain for the others. They have each other, they will heal, like they did once before. 

He closes his eyes, focusing on sprinting. The ground rumbles once more under him and he can hear the satisfaction grow within the Conductor. The satisfaction doubles, splitting and Kyungsoo frowns. He opens his eyes, seeing an intersection in front of them. The satisfaction splits even further, two clear inputs, and Kyungsoo lifts his eyes, looking above the houses. 

To their right stands the second Conductor, waiting by the intersection ready to strike at them unnoticed. Kyungsoo looks back at Jongin and Chanyeol, seeing their backpacks bounce against their backs as they run. They don’t know. They haven’t seen the second Conductor. They will run right into the trap. 

“LEFT!” Kyungsoo screams, his voice cracking. “TURN LEFT!” He waves his hand towards the left, praying to whatever deity that surely left them after the bombs fell to listen to him one last time. Please tell him Jongin and Chanyeol hear him. 

By some miracle Jongin takes a sharp left, Chanyeol following and almost colliding with Jongin before his trajectory can change. Kyungsoo hugs the building, his shoulder catching on the corner and tearing a hole in his shirt. 

A second after he’s cleared the intersection a loud boom fills the air, the screeches of two Conductors filling the air. Jongin casts a look behind them, catching Kyungsoo’s eyes for a moment before taking in the sight behind them and gasping. Kyungsoo turns his head for a short moment, seeing the two Conductors tangled up in each other. One of them has its teeth sunk into the side of the other which is screeching loud enough for Kyungsoo’s ears to ache. The first Conductor roars, throwing its fists towards the other with enough force to tear them apart, a chunk of pale flesh tearing from its side as they fall over. 

The building they rounded seconds ago explodes into a million pieces as the Conductor lands on it. A rain of concrete and wood start beating down on them, a large chunk of wall landing inches to Chanyeol’s left. Kyungsoo focuses his eyes back forwards, his breath caught in his throat as he forces himself to move forwards, ignore the way the rubble beats against his back and arms. 

“THERE!” Jongin screams, pointing forwards. Kyungsoo follows his finger, seeing a highrise in front of them. It’s small, shorter looking than most of the other highrises Kyungsoo’s ever seen, but right now it’s their only hope. If it’s inhabited they have a chance. A small, almost miniscule chance. But it’s there. 

Kyungsoo feels his heart speed up even further at the prospect of possible survival. It is pounding hard enough in his chest that it feels like it might burst through his ribcase any moment. He can hear the Conductors get back on their feet behind him, the rumble of the ground returning as the heavy feet hit the concrete. Another roar fills the air, much much angrier and Kyungsoo struggles to not freeze from the coolness that fills his blood. 

The entrance of the highrise is coming into view now, people looking small as ants rushing out of it and screaming at them to hurry up. The ground rumbles once more, throwing Kyungsoo in the air and making him stumble as he hits the concrete. He sees Jongin do the same, feet twisting as he lands but the younger pushes forwards, ignoring what has to be at least one twisted foot. 

The residents of the highrise in front of them are lining up, one of them carrying something long and thin. There is a calmness to their movements that Kyungsoo’s never seen anyone have while facing the Conductors and dread fills him that this might be the first time they see them. 

He casts a quick look behind himself, seeing the Conductor with a gash in its side take a leap forwards. He forces himself to move even faster, taking a leap as the Conductor's hands land mere inches behind him. He can feel the gust of air behind him, pushing him forwards and enveloping him in a bone curling coldness. 

He stumbles as he hits the ground, his knees locked for a moment before he regains control over his limbs. His hands brush the ground, steadying him as he makes his legs move again, feet quickly picking up speed. 

By now the residents are lined up by the side of the street, guns drawn and pointed at the Conductor, and one lone person standing in the middle with the long, thin object propped up on his shoulder. Kyungsoo can see him brace himself before the residents open fire. 

The bullets fly by his side, barely missing him, and Kyungsoo can hear the dull thunks of the metal hitting the flesh of the Conductor. It screeches, icy wetness hitting Kyungsoo’s back. It can’t be more than a meter behind him, ready to devour him the first moment it gets. 

“GET DOWN!” The resident screams and a moment later a large bang echoes down the street. Something flies past Kyungsoo barely a meter above his head, the heat of it enough to burn his skin for a short moment before an explosion throws him forwards. 

The world flips, the now destroyed head of the Conductor flashing before him for a short moment before the sky fills his vision. His left leg hits the ground, throwing him to the side and then the Conductor is in his field of vision once more, its headless body falling forwards before his shoulder hit’s the ground and the world starts spinning too fast for him to make out anything. 

A second boom echoes through the air but Kyungsoo can’t make out if it’s coming from behind him or in front of him. He can barely make out what’s up and what’s down. His body flops like a ragdoll on the ground, rolling another few meters before the collision of the Conductor’s body hitting the ground throws him in the air one last time.

His back hit’s the ground, the uneven surface of his backpack compressing his lungs and forcing the air out of him. A second explosion rocks the world and Kyungsoo blinks, trying to get the world to stop spinning before his eyes. 

A screech fills the air, pained and gurgling, and Kyungsoo struggles to sit up. He has to keep running. The Conductor is right behind him. He has to keep going. He rolls over, putting his left leg under him and pushing forwards. His chest hits the ground once more a second later, his leg refusing to carry him. 

He tries again, getting his right leg under him and managing to rise to standing. The world is still spinning before his eyes, enough to make him nauseous, and he takes a step to the left to try and steady himself. His legs give out once more, body falling to the side helplessly but before he can hit the ground two hands catch him. 

“Watch it.” A voice says. Kyungsoo blinks, trying to focus his sight towards where the voice is coming from. A face comes into view, flat nose, tanned skin and tired eyes. 

“Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks, his voice hoarse and breathless. The face laughs and shakes its head, lowering Kyungsoo back to the ground again and forcing him to lay down. Kyungsoo gladly obeys, his whole body starting to ache as the adrenaline drains from his system. 

“Haven’t heard that in forever.” The voice says quietly, clearly not meant for Kyungsoo to hear. He turns his eyes back towards the face, blinking as he tries to clear the fuzziness from his eyes. The sun is bright, far brighter than he remembers it being, and it obscures his vision. He gives up, closing his eyes and focusing on breathing. 

“Kyungsoo!?” A voice calls from behind the Jongin but not Jongin person and a second later Chanyeol comes into view. The taller’s sunglasses are missing a lense and his long sandy hair is matted with grey concrete. There is a cut on his cheek, bleeding sluggishly and mixing with the dirt covering his cheeks. 

Kyungsoo reaches up, trying to wipe the trail of blood covering his cheek. His own hand is stained in a mixture of blackish goo and dirt and in the end all he manages is making a bigger mess on Chanyeol’s cheek. Chanyeol doesn’t seem to care. Instead he grabs Kyungsoo’s hand and kisses it roughly before squeezing it between his hands. It hurts a little but compared to the rest of his aching muscles Kyungsoo barely feels it. 

“Is he okay?” Chanyeol asks the Jongin not Jongin person. 

“His leg.” The person answers and Chanyeol’s face leaves his field of vision before a loud gasp is heard. “NO! Leave it!” The person says again and Kyungsoo raises his head, trying to spot what the other two are looking at. All he sees is Chanyeol’s messy hair and what he thinks is Jongin’s beautiful golden locks before the person turns towards him again and he realizes it’s the not Jongin person. 

But where is Jongin then? Did the Conductors get him? No. NO! No it can’t be. Not this close to the end. Not when they’ve come so far. They made it to the highrise. They are supposed to be safe then. Kyungsoo is supposed to be the one dying if someone had to leave them. Not Jongin. Not perfect, wonderful Jongin. 

“Jongin?” He croaks out, reaching towards Chanyeol to try and get his attention. The taller quickly moves up to his side, looking slightly nauseous and Kyungsoo feels his chest constrict. 

“I’m not Jongin.” The not Jongin person laughs again and Kyungsoo wishes he would just shut up. 

Chanyeol looks up towards the other, a frown on his face before he raises a little and waves his arm. Kyungsoo cranes his neck, trying to see what Chanyeol is waving at. All he spots is the bright sun beaming down at him and the tip of the buildings lining the street. He twists, trying to turn around to see but a hand on his shoulder stops him. 

“No, don’t move.” Chanyeol says and Kyungsoo swats his hands away. He’s fine. He’s just hurting a little. He has to know Jongin’s okay. He tries to move again but Chanyeol’s hands quickly return to his shoulders, holding him down. “Jongin is fine, he’s coming over here.” Chanyeol says quietly, pushing Kyungsoo’s short bangs out of his face. They are sticky with something and when Chanyeol’s hand comes away it’s sticky with the same black stuff covering his own hand. 

“Jong...” The not Jongin person whispers, turning away from Kyungsoo who tries to sit up again. This time Chanyeol helps, him, propping him up against his chest. Something soft lands on his head and the bright sun dulls. With a blink of his eyes Kyungsoo realizes he’s lost his sunglasses. 

“Kyungsoo?” A familiar voice calls and Kyungsoo turns around, a searing pain moving up his leg and through his chest at the motion. He ignores it, feeling relief fill him as Jongin hobbles over to them. He’s favouring one foot over the other, his right one twisted in the sprint from the Conductors, but otherwise he seems okay. Just like Chanyeol he’s covered in head to toe in dust and his backpack is hanging on with just one strap. 

“Jongin?” The not Jongin person calls, standing up. Jongin stops, eyes widening as he takes in the figure next to Kyungsoo. 

“Taemin?” He asks, a smile breaking out on his face. With a laugh he hurries forwards, stumbling a little before throwing his arms around the Taemin figure. 

“I thought I would never see you again!” Jongin laughs, pulling back to look Taemin over before pulling him into a tight hug once more. Kyungsoo feels his eyebrows pull into a frown. He looks over at Chanyeol who’s looking at Jongin with a mixture of happiness and anger in his eyes. 

“Jongin!” Kyungsoo croaks out, sending a glare at the younger once their eyes meet and Jongin’s eyes widens as he takes in the sight of Kyungsoo. 

“Are you okay?”He asks, pushing aside Taemin and rushing forwards to Kyungsoo’s side. Kyungsoo nods, reaching out to grab Jongin to make sure he doesn’t move away from him. Jongin’s free hand wipes at his face in a similar way Chanyeol had done and Kyungsoo shakes his head to try and get the fingers out of his face. 

“Your leg.” Jongin says, his voice weak and the same queasy look on his face Chanyeol had sported moments before. Kyungsoo sighs, tiredly looking down at his body to see what they’re looking at. 

He wishes he hadn’t. 

His left leg is twisted to the side, propped up on a small rock formation with a short rebar sticking out of it, the metal piercing straight through his calf and caked with his blood. The ground underneath it is slowly getting saturated by the maroon liquid, mixing in with the black thick blood coming from the now dead Conductor resting only meters away from him. The same black liquid Kyungsoo is almost completely covered in and that is smeared all over the ground. 

He feels sick. 

“Oh fuck.” He breathes, closing his eyes and resting his head back against Chanyeol’s chest. Suddenly his left calf explodes in pain, making it hard to focus on anything else but the fact that he has a rebar stuck through his leg. 

“You’re going to be fine.” Taemin says and Kyungsoo snorts, not appreciating how he keeps butting in. Chanyeol shushes him, taking his hand once more and giving it a tight squeeze. Kyungsoo returns his focus on breathing, trying to push down the bile rising his throat. 

He has a rebar, a _rebar_ , stuck in his leg. It has pushed through, right through, the thick skin of his boot and pierced through the fabric of his trousers. Oh and his leg too. Right through his leg. Right through his muscle. Oh god he’s going to throw up. 

He heaves and Chanyeol quickly shushes him again, running a hand through his sticky hair to calm him down. He forces in a deep breath, trying to push down the nausea again. Jongin covers the hand holding his with his own free hand, warming the cold fingers. 

“Taemin!” A voice calls out, footsteps hurrying towards them. Kyungsoo ignores them, back to focusing on just breathing. 

“Jinki! Minho!” Taemin calls out and the footsteps come closer. “We need to get him inside.” He adds and Kyungsoo opens his eyes, looking over to where the sound is coming from. Two people are running towards them full speed, a red cross on the chest of the white shirt on one of them and a heavy looking gun in the other’s hands. Both of them are tall, of course. Curse the surface and its freakishly tall people. Curse everyone here. Kyungsoo sighs and closes his eyes once more. 

“Status?” The one with the red cross asks as he kneels down next to Kyungsoo. 

“I haven’t been able to examine him. I haven’t dared move him.” Taemin explains and the other makes a noise of understanding. 

“How about you two. You okay?” He asks and Kyungsoo opens his eyes back up, watching both Jongin and Chanyeol nod. Kyungsoo shakes his head because they’re lying. They’re not fine. 

“His ankle.” Kyungsoo forces out in a weak voice, gesturing towards Jongin. “And, his cheeks.” He points towards Chanyeol. 

“Don’t be stupid we’re fine.” Jongin snaps and Kyungsoo musters up a glare at the other. Jongin returns it with equal fierceness. 

The man with the gun laughs and Jongin turns his glare towards him a moment later, making him shut up. 

“We’ll deal with that once we’re inside. Now. What’s your name?” The man with the red cross asks and Kyungsoo sucks in a deep breath because he doesn’t have the energy for formalities right now. His goddamn _leg_ has a goddamn _rebar_ stuck through it and he would very much like it to not be like that. But saying all of that would take too much energy so instead he forces out. 

“Do Kyungsoo.” 

“Nice to meet you Kyungsoo. I’m Lee Jinki. I’m the doctor of Mokdong highrise. How are you feeling?” He asks and Kyungsoo wishes he had the strength to punch the other because as a doctor shouldn’t he be able to see that there is a fucking rebar through his leg. 

“I have a rebar stuck through my leg.” He says and Jinki nods quickly, making a small noise of recognition. 

“Any pain in your back, your neck?” He asks and Kyungsoo shakes his head. “How is your vision. Any fuzziness? No. How many fingers am I holding up?” He asks, holding up three fingers. Kyungsoo glares at him for a long moment because is he serious?

“Three.” 

“Excellent.” Jinki smiles calmly, pulling up his eyelid and leaning in way too close to Kyungsoo’s face for comfort. “How about weakness?” Jinki asks as he presses his fingers against Kyungsoo’s neck. Kyungsoo nods quickly, starting to get really annoyed by now. “Shortness of breath?” 

“You exploded me, knocked the air out of my lungs and now I have a rebar stuck through my leg! Of course I’m having a hard time breathing!” Kyungsoo snaps and Jinki backs off in a heartbeat. 

“He’s showing early signs of shock. We need to get him inside before he loses too much blood. Minho, can you lift him?” Jinki asks, directing his question towards the man with the gun. Kyungsoo closes his eyes once more, drawing in a quick breath and squeezing Jongin’s hand for all that he’s worth. His leg is beginning to really hurt, a rapid pounding in speed with his heart. He can feel sweat starting to break out on his brow, mixing with the sticky black blood. 

“Not alone.” Minho answers and Kyungsoo wants to scream because come on. How hard can it be to just get him into the highrise. 

“I’ll help you.” Chanyeol offers and Minho hums in agreement. “What do you need me to do?” He asks. 

“You take his right side, support his back and his knee. Minho take the left and do the same. I’ll remove the rebar.” Jinki says and Chanyeol’s chest disappears from behind him, replaced by two strong arms. Chanyeol arm hooks underneath his right knee and Minho’s carefully wraps around his left, carefull not to move his leg. 

“Taemin, Taemin nr 2. Go back to the highrise and get the elevator ready.” Jinki orders and Jongin’s hand disappears from his and Kyungsoo opens his eyes, feeling his already rapid breathing speed up even more as Jongin hesitantly walks away. 

“Jonginnie!” He calls, reaching out and Jongin stops, looking between Kyungsoo and Jinki. Jinki sighs and nods at him, allowing Jongin to turn back and grab Kyungsoo’s hand once more. Taemin sets off into a run, moving back towards the highrise. 

“We lift on three. Alright?” Jinki says and Kyungsoo shakes his head. No. He doesn’t want them to lift him. Can’t they see he has a rebar stuck through his leg. He needs that one removed first. They can’t move him. 

“Slowly.” Jinki says and Kyungsoo grabs hold of Chanyeol shoulders, eyes trained on his calf. Jinki is holding a hand on his knee and the other on his ankle, eyes trained on Kyungsoo’s leg. 

“One.” 

Kyungsoo feels the nausea build inside of him, his hands gripping Jongin’s hard enough it has to hurt. 

“Two.” 

He can feel both Chanyeol and Minho tense and shakes his head. No. No he’s fine here he doesn’t need the rebar removed. 

“Three.” 

In one smooth movement Chanyeol and Minho start to rise. Jinki gently lifts his ankle, trying to hold down his knee to not change the angle of his leg but despite his tries his leg twists. A searing pain travels up his leg, consuming him and all Kyungsoo can do is blink. The next second his legs is moving up the rebar and Kyungsoo can feel each of the small notches as they move through him. 

The nausea hits him full force, quickly building inside him and Jinki barely manages to remove his leg from the rebar before he curls in on himself, hurling the contents of his stomach into his own lap. He coughs, heaving once. Minho’s hold on him falter, his left leg slipping through his fingers but Jinki catches it before it can hit the ground. 

“Let’s go. Get him on your back.” Jinki says, completely ignoring the way Kyungsoo is still heaving. Jongin’s hand tightens around him and Chanyeol hesitates for a moment before helping Jinki maneuver him onto Minho’s back. Kyungsoo groans, head lolling as he’s hoisted up on Minho’s back. It’s a familiar feeling but it comes with none of the comfort of having Jongin or Chanyeol carry him. 

“Wait wait.” Jinki says before Minho can start moving and Kyungsoo feels him grab his calf, pressing something hard against the wound. His vision swims, cold sweat breaking out over his skin as the doctor keeps pressing. “Do we have anything we can make a tourniquet with?” 

“Here.” Jongin says and something is pressed against his leg once more. His wound explodes in pain and Kyungsoo distantly heard himself cry out. His vision is fuzzy, eyes barely able to make out more than a meter in front of him. The pressure increases on his leg for a long, excruciating moment, before finally lessening. 

“Stay with me Kyungsoo.” Jinki says from somewhere far to his left. Kyungsoo blinks, darkness creeping into his vision and his arms becoming weaker. He can feel himself start to collapse backwards, hands no longer strong enough to hold onto Minho, but before he can start falling blackness consumes him.


	23. Chapter 23 - Chanyeol

Kyungsoo is glaring at Jongin, his thick brows furrowed low on his face and cheeks puffed up in a barely there pout. The younger is chatting with Taemin, happily hanging on to every word the other saying and laughing loudly whenever the other says something funny. 

Chanyeol quickly folds up a small wrap for Kyungsoo, making sure to add extra soy beans because he knows how much the smaller likes them. With a hesitant smile he pushes the wrap towards Kyungsoo, trying to distract him from the sight of a laughing Jongin practically draping himself over Taemin. 

“Open up.” He says, pushing the wrap against Kyungsoo’s plump lips when the other doesn’t notice him. Kyungsoo immediately turns his eyes towards Chanyeol, the glare hitting him with full force and making the smile on his lips waver for a short moment. 

“I’m not a baby. I can feed myself.” Kyungsoo snaps, pushing away Chanyeol’s wrap and roughly grabbing his forgotten chopsticks. With forceful motions he picks up a small bean stalk and shoves it into his mouth. 

“Sorry.” Chanyeol whispers, casting a look over at Jongin who’s still completely enthralled in Taemin. Apparently Taemin is one of the people form Yongwang, Jongin’s original highrise, and he had used to be one of Jongin’s closest friends before they had gotten separated. Both of them had thought the other was dead and once it had become clear Kyungsoo is going to be fine Jongin had spent all of his time with Taemin. 

Or, that is a slight retouching of the truth. After Kyungsoo had passed out they had rushed to the highrise, Taemin and a group of other residents inside waiting for them. Kyungsoo and Jinki had been strapped into a sort of sling and lifted up through the elevator shaft while he, Jongin and the others had needed to take the many stairs up to the 17th floor where the small sick bay lay. 

Once they had gotten there Jinki had already cleaned and wrapped Kyungsoo’s wound and had been busy cleaning Kyungsoo and looking for other injuries. Chanyeol remembers how his stomach had clenched as he thought back to how Kyungsoo had flown through the air after the missile had hit the Passengers barely meters behind him. The explosion had been enough to almost throw him off his feet and once the heavy body hit the ground the collision had actually knocked him over, causing him to skid several feet on the ground. 

Luckily though there had been nothing more than a few scrapes and small cuts on Kyungsoo and after all the rocks had been removed from Chanyeol’s palms and Jongin’s foot braced the two of them had set out to clean the Passenger blood from Kyungsoo. 

After that Jinki had declared Kyungsoo stable and told them all he needs is rest. Chanyeol had settled down next to Kyungsoo with Jongin in his lap. They had fallen asleep like that but once morning hit Jongin had been dragged away by Taemin, promising that he would be back before Kyungsoo woke up. 

He hadn’t been and once Kyungsoo found out about Jongin’s whereabouts he hadn’t stopped frowning.

Chanyeol sighs, wondering how he will fix this. Sure Jongin had apologized but it had been flippant and not at all like him. The fact that Taemin had been there in the room while he did it hadn’t helped either. Now Chanyeol doesn’t dislike Taemin, in fact he thinks that had the situation been different he would like the other boy very much. He’s very much like Jongin, both when it comes to personality and appearances, Chanyeol can clearly see why the two of them get along so well. It’s like looking at two brothers when the two of them interact. 

What makes him apprehensive of the other though is how he has no claims against pulling Jongin away from Kyungsoo and him. He knows this is a reunion and that the two of them have much to catch up on but there will be plenty of time for that once Kyungsoo feels better and they have returned from Sinmokdong. 

Something touches his thigh and when Chanyeol looks down he sees Kyungsoo’s hand take the wrap he prepared earlier. He feels his lips quirk up quickly, pretending not to notice when Kyungsoo stuffs it in his mouth and chews with a pout still on his face. He knows by now it’s better not to comment or draw attention to these small actions but he can’t help but scoot closer to Kyungsoo.

“How’s your leg feeling?” He asks, quickly making a wrap for himself and eating it. Kyungsoo sighs, leaning his head against Chanyeol’s shoulder. 

“What do you think.” Kyungsoo mutters without any real malice. He just sounds tired and Chanyeol can understand why. He’s tired too. A night spent in a hard chair with Jongin pressing down on him isn’t exactly a good night’s sleep but right now he’s just happy that they’re all fine. Rest can come later. 

“Do you want to lay down?” Chanyeol asks, looking over at the bedrolls still tightly rolled up in the corner of the room. They had been given a small room just over an hour ago where they could rest and spend the night. Just like most of the guest rooms they have visited on their trip this too is bare except for the small lantern stoved away in the corner. At least this one has a window, bathing the room in light. 

“I’m fine.” Kyungsoo replies, reaching out for the wrap Chanyeol had just made for himself. The taller lets him take it without protest. 

“Think you’re up for a walk then?” Jongin asks from his place opposite them, having apparently listened in to the conversation. 

“A walk?” Kyungsoo asks skeptically, not so subtly glaring at Taemin who’s got an arm wrapped around Jongin’s waist. It only takes a moment before he slowly retracts it. 

“Yeah.” Jongin confirms, either oblivious to the annoyance radiating from Kyungsoo or ignoring it. Chanyeol can’t tell. “Taemin told me about-” Jongin continues but Kyungsoo quickly cuts him off. 

“I can’t exactly walk if you haven’t noticed.” The shorter snaps and Chanyeol reaches out to pull Kyungsoo against him, aiming to calm him down, but Kyungsoo pushes him away. 

“Well I’m sure someone could carry you.” Jongin snaps back without a moment of hesitation. 

“Oh you’re going to carry me?” Kyungsoo asks, raising an eyebrow at Jongin. 

“You know I can’t carry you right now.” Jongin bites back and Chanyeol sends a look towards Taemin, trying to silently ask him to calm Jongin down before a real fight breaks out. The other just looks lost. 

“Then why did you even ask?” Kyungsoo sneers and Chanyeol makes a small noise of protest, once more trying to turn Kyungsoo away. A fight between the two of them is the last thing they need. 

“I just thought you might want to know there are other people from the metro here.” Jongin huffs, standing up and walking out of the room before any of them have the chance to react. A second later Kyungsoo’s chopsticks bounce against the closing door, the clatter of them hitting the floor filling the otherwise empty room. 

Chanyeol opens his mouth, trying to process what Jongin had just said. He looks over at Taemin who seems just as chocked as him from the turn of events. Next to him Kyungsoo is silently shaking, his hands fisted in the material of his pants and his eyes trained on his lap. 

“Is that true? There are other people from the metro here?” Chanyeol asks, reaching out and taking one of Kyungsoo’s shaking hands. This time the other lets him, squeezing it so hard it hurts but Chanyeol only wraps his other hand around it too. He knows Kyungsoo’s frustrated, that there is so much at stake right now and for Kyungsoo to once more have his independence taken away from him must be a hard hit to take. He knows how this makes the smaller lash out and push them away but Chanyeol hadn’t expected Jongin to be that affected by it. He certainly hadn’t expected Jongin to answer back with the same harsh treatment. 

He can’t help but blame Taemin slightly for it and that thought leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. He rationally knows that the other has done nothing wrong but right now two of the people he loves the most are hurting and he doesn’t know what to do to fix it. 

“Yeah.” Taemin answers after a moment of slight hesitation. “They uh...showed up during the night.” 

“Where are they?”Kyungsoo asks, having composed himself once more. He looks up at Taemin who doesn’t meet his eyes. 

“On the 14th floor.” Is the answer and Kyungsoo starts to hurriedly put away what’s left of his meal. Chanyeol doesn’t have to ask him to know he wants to go see them immediately. 

“Can you show us the way?” He asks and Taemin quickly nods, standing up. Chanyeol puts his own food away, shuffling forwards to kneel between Kyungsoo’s spread legs. He carefully grabs the other’s legs, feeling Kyungsoo wrap his arms around his neck. With a huff he stands up, legs straining as they struggle to lift Kyungsoo and the smaller’s arms tightening around him as he tries to help lift himself off the floor.

Taemin makes a move as if to help but stops, clearly torn between helping and trying not to step on any more toes. With a grunt Chanyeol manages to straighten up, jumping slightly to shift Kyungsoo further up his back until the other has the top of his thighs resting on his hips. It’s a familiar situation and Kyungsoo quickly makes himself comfortable, burying his face in Chanyeol’s neck tiredly. 

“Lead the way.” Chanyeol says, shifting his hold until he has his hands interlaced under Kyungsoo’s butt, not wanting to hold on to the shorter’s legs incase he aggravates the injury.

Taemin nods, pushing the door open and guiding them down the long corridor. He can feel Kyungsoo become more and more relaxed as they walk. Chanyeol can feel his heart swell as Kyungsoo’s breath evens out against the skin of his neck, lips barely brushing against him. 

“Is he sleeping?” Taemin asks, looking up at Kyungsoo who hasn’t moved for the past five minutes. Chanyeol nods. He’s happy Kyungsoo managed to relax enough to fall asleep, knowing how important rest is for him to get better as soon as possible. 

“Good, he needs it.” Taemin adds, pushing a door open and leading him through a large open hall. It looks very familiar to the main hall back in Yeouido but instead of merchants setting up shop here there are crates lining the walls, all of them filled with ammo, guns, helmets and other combat gear. Chanyeol can’t help but gape at the sight. No wonder they managed to take down two Passengers yesterday when they have all this at their disposable. 

All around the crates are people, either busy with cleaning, sorting or mending the gear. There area few people standing around in heavy guard uniforms, overseeing the work of the others. Chanyeol recognizes one of them as Minho from yesterday and the tall man nods at them as they pass. 

“Where did you get this?” Chanyeol asks, slowing down a little so he can take in the sight of a huge gun. It’s long, mostly just a tube, and next to it are several thin rockets lined up. A rocket launcher. Something he has only heard about in tales from before the dust cloud came. It is what had been used to kill the Passengers yesterday. One shot from that and it had been dead. 

“There was a military base set up during the war not long from here. We managed to get through the blast doors three years ago.” Taemin explains and Chanyeol nods, carefully bouncing a little when he feels Kyungsoo starts to glide down. The shorter’s arms momentarily tightens around his neck before going slack once more. 

“You guys must be the most well guarded Highrise in all of Seoul.” Chanyeol comments and Taemin lets out a small laugh, shrugging his shoulders. 

“The City hall has even more firepower, they just don’t tell anyone.” He says before pushing open the door to the stairwell. “Otherwise they would never let us keep it.” 

Chanyeol makes a small noise of acknowledgement. He used to think so highly of Seoul City hall before starting this trip but the more he’s heard of them the less he trusts them. He doesn’t want to find out how much fire power they have if they can contest what he just saw. Surely enough to bring most of Seoul to it’s knees if needed. 

They start their descent down the stairs, Taemin’s hand coming to rest on Kyungsoo’s back to make sure he doesn’t tip backwards off Chanyeol’s back. The climb is slow, the pressing heat making it even slower and Chanyeol’s thighs are burning after the first set of stairs. 

“So you know Jongin from before?” He asks to break the silence. He’s never been good with silences. It makes him think too much and he doesn’t like digging to deep into the feelings inside himself, preferring to experience them as they are instead of trying to analyze them. 

“Yeah, he used to be like a little brother to me.” Taemin says, a reminiscing smile on his lips. Chanyeol feels his eyebrows raise. 

“You’re?” He starts and Taemin nods. 

“Older? Yeah, by two years.” He confirms. “We used to be inseparable, spending every single day together. Me, him and Sehun.” He smiles at the memories, looking away for a moment before sobering once more. “But then...you know what happened. I thought they all died when the building came down. Thought I was the only one left alive. Mokdong took me in when they found me collapsed a few streets from here.” 

“Mokdong seems pretty welcoming.” Chanyeol comments and Taemin nods. 

“We have to be. All we have is each other. Distrust is what landed us in this situation to begin with. We all try to make sure we don’t walk down the same path yet again.” Taemin explains and Chanyeol quietly thanks him, grateful they ended up in a highrise such as this and not one that left them to the passengers. Taemin just shakes his head in return, saying it’s what anyone would do and Chanyeol doesn’t have the heart to correct him. 

They make it down another set of stairs before Chanyeol has to rest. His entire body is aching, the result of being on the move for more than two weeks without any proper rest. Kyungsoo is heavy on his back, the smaller surprisingly compact for someone of his size. They end up sitting down on the top of the stairs leading down from the 15th floor. 

Kyungsoo is still sleeping soundly, his lips parted and the fabric of Chanyeol’s shirt moist where they rest. The older takes the opportunity to inspect the wound on Kyungsoo’s leg. His left calf is wrapped in thick gaze and each puncture wound carefully covered with a clean cotton rag soaked in an antibacterial salve. The previously white linnen have already started soaking through, a small hint of pink in the centre of where each puncture wound rests and Chanyeol knows that once they get back from this short trip they have to get Jinki to change it once more. 

Chanyeol had been there for the first rewrapping and seen the wound and it looks nasty. Red, raw and bruised a painful looking purple around the edges. Almost the entirety of Kyungsoo’s calf is covered in a blue bruise. Jinki had said it looked good though, that it showed no signs of infection and given time and proper care all that would be left is a scar. 

Jongin hadn’t been there to hear it, to preoccupied with Taemin, and Chanyeol had needed to relay the information to him later. It rubs him the wrong way, how Jongin hadn’t been there. While Jongin has rarely shown any signs in wanting to do the actual caring for another person for as long as Chanyeol had known him he had at least been there whenever someone he cared for got hurt. He had been there every time Chanyeol had gotten hurt. He had barely left Sehun’s side the one time the other broke his clavicle during a stupid stunt. After Kyungsoo’s burn on his leg and the reopening of the wound Jongin had been there to make the other didn’t get worse. But this time he is missing in action. 

Chanyeol knows it could very well just be a one time thing, that he shouldn’t doubt Jongin because the younger had always been a very private person. His first instinct has always been to retreat whenever there is something bothering him and the same thing could very well be going on right now. He really should talk with him, make sure Jongin is feeling well. 

He sighs, squeezing Kyungsoo’s thighs subconsciously as he tries to figure out how to divide his time between Kyungsoo who so obviously needs him despite pushing him away and Jongin who’s seeking comfort in Taemin instead of trusting in Chanyeol. 

It had never been this complicated with Sehun. 

His stomach immediately twists with guilt the moment the thought have passed through his brain. It’s not fair to compare what he and Jongin had with Sehun with what they have now with Kyungsoo. It’s not fair on any of them, Sehun included. What they had then is separate from what they have with Kyungsoo. That relationship had it’s ups and downs unique to the situations they had been in. What they are going through right now is not even comparable. 

“You okay?” Taemin asks and Chanyeol’s head jerks up, gaze meeting the other’s worried eyes. He quickly nods his head, trying to push the thought away that maybe Jongin too is doubting if all this trouble is really worth it. 

“Yeah, just worried.” He admits, pulling Kyungsoo a little closer to himself in a mimicry of a hug. He wishes Jongin was here so could cuddle the other, pull both of his boyfriends into his arms, lay down and just cuddle until he feels better. 

“About Jongin?” Taemin asks and Chanyeol makes no effort in hiding what is going on inside of himself. Jongin had always told him he is like an open book. 

“Yeah.” He sighs. “He seems upset.” 

“He isn’t. Not with you.” Taemin says and Chanyeol looks back at him. “He just...he was really excited to well, show me off, I guess but Kyung...soo?” Taemin raises his eyebrows, seeking confirmation at the other’s name and Chanyeol nods. “Kyungsoo didn’t react in the way he expected I guess. You know he doesn’t talk about stuff like that.” Taemin laughs a little and Chanyeol can’t help but smile in return. “He’ll come around.” 

Chanyeol nods in return, thanking Taemin a little. It felt good to be comforted for once. He is usually the only one doing the comforting. He could see why Jongin liked Taemin so much. He could see a lot of himself in the other. Or maybe he could see why Jongin had liked him so much, another older brother to take over from the one he left. 

Of course Jongin had to be excited now that he reunited with someone he thought had been dead. Chanyeol would not have been able to contain himself if that happened. That would have been like as if Sehun would suddenly come walking up the stairs, complaining how bored he is because they hadn’t been around for him to mess with. He really owes Jongin an apology for not thinking about it from his perspective. Kyungsoo too. 

“Did Jongin ever.. Did he tell you about...” He starts, not knowing how to finish the sentence. He wants to know if Jongin told Taemin about Sehun, considering the three of them used to be so close. It must have come up during conversation. But at the same time if Jongin hadn’t he doesn’t want to break the news to the other. It’s not his place to do. 

“Tell me about Sehun?” Taemin supplies and Chanyeol nods. “Yeah.” He confirms. 

“I’m sorry.” Chanyeol says, looking over at Taemin who just shakes his head with a happy smile. 

“Don’t be. I thought he was dead long ago. I’m just happy to hear he got to experience a little more of life before he left us.” He says and Chanyeol doesn’t comment on how the corner of Taemin’s lips turn downwards halfway through the sentence. “I’ve already moved on.” 

Silence lovers itself over them once more and Chanyeol busies himself with retying his boots despite them being far from loose. He ignores the way Taemin turns away for a short moment, the rough intake of breath he hears before the other clears his throat and asks if they should keep going. 

Taemin helps him stand up, supporting Kyungsoo’s weight until Chanyeol once again has a safe grasp on the smaller. Together they make they way down the last flight of stairs and back into the building. 

Taemin leads him to through an empty main hall and towards a long corridor lined with several doors, explaining that the 14th floor isn’t usually in use but due to the guest room already being taken up they had to place people here. Chanyeol makes sure to wake Kyungsoo up before they step in through the door, knowing the smaller won’t like it if the first impression of the other residents from the metro are of him sleeping. 

Kyungsoo wakes with a small jerk, arms tightening quickly around Chanyeol’s neck as he looks around himself. 

“Where are we?” He asks, letting go with one hand to wipe the crusted drool from his cheek. Chanyeol can’t help but smile as he looks the other over. The other’s face is swollen from sleep, making his already round cheeks even rounder and suddenly Chanyeol understands the urge Nana always have to pinch the cheeks of every child she comes across. 

“The people from the metro inside.” Chanyeol explains and Kyungsoo nods, face setting into a stiff mask and the vulnerability of just waking up reduced to nothing but a memory. 

“Put me down.” He demands and Chanyeol knows better than to argue, simply lowering Kyungsoo down and allowing him to support himself against Chanyeol’s side as the door is pushed open. 

Jongin is inside, laughing with the people inside but the moment his eyes land on him and Kyungsoo the smile fades and a glare takes its place. The guilt in Chanyeol’s guts makes itself known once more. 

“Hi.” He says, hesitating on whether or not he should bow. He decides to do a quick one in the end, arm tight around Kyungsoo’s shoulders so the other doesn’t lose his balance. 

Inside the room are five other people, a family from the looks of it. They bow as they see him, greeting him in an accent he has come to associate with Kyungsoo and the metro. Slowly the pair of them shuffle inside. 

He forces Kyungsoo to sit down next to Jongin despite the other clearly trying to not do so. He knows Jongin noticed what he’s doing but doesn’t say anything, allowing the grumpy metro resident to take his place next to him. Taemin hesitantly sits down next to Jongin and the youngest shuffles closer to the other. 

Kyungsoo’s hand immediately shoots out and grabs Jongin’s, eyes not looking anywhere towards the other as he pulls the hand closer to himself, forcing Jongin to shift back. Chanyeol bites his lips to keep from smiling, happy that Kyungsoo isn’t angry enough with Jongin to completely ignore him or that Jongin isn’t angry enough with Kyungsoo to not indulge in the small act of possessiveness. 

Kyungsoo starts up conversation with the others in the next moment, introducing himself as a resident of Sinmokdong. The other metro residents tell them how they’re residents of Sinjeong Negeri station and how they had fled the metro after rumors of the Terminal’s plan to blow up the tunnels connecting them with the ring line had started to spread. 

They explain how their line is a part of the ring line, a small side track connecting them with the pink line and how a merchant had arrived late yesterday evening and spoke about how apparently the Terminal is searching for some fugitive who had found out about the plan and is trying to put a stop to it. 

Most people at the station hadn’t believed the merchant but their family had. They tell them how they used to live in the Terminal many years ago but had been forced to move after the father of the family had discovered how many of the customs officers had been promoting and actually helping the smuggling of not only wares but people and prisoners too and when trying to report it they had been wiped from all residential lists in the Terminal and been forced to restart their life outside of the ring line. To say they are sceptical of the Terminal is an understatement. 

So they had decided to take a leap of fate and in the middle of the night left their home and exited to the surface where they had been walking blindly for a few hours before the night guard of Mokdong highrise discovered them and took them in. 

After listening to their story Kyungsoo starts to hurriedly questioning them on any details regarding when the explosives would go off, explaining how he is trying to reach Sinmokdong and deliver the message to them. The other metro residents have nothing to tell them, only sadly shaking their heads and saying that it might very well already be too late. 

Once Kyungsoo starts getting agitated, demanding that they tell him everything once more because there has to be a detail they’re missing Chanyeol decides it time to intervene and for the three of them to head back to their own room to sort their own problems out. 

Jongin tries to weasel out of it, saying how he’s going to hang out with Taemin instead but one stern look from Chanyeol has him pouting and crossing his arms but reluctantly agreeing. 

The walk back to their room is made in silence, all Chanyeol’s attempts at starting a conversation ignored by both Kyungsoo and Jongin. By the end of the walk Chanyeol can feel his temper starting to grow short, something which rarely happens. He can’t help but be annoyed at both Jongin and Kyungsoo for acting so childishly in a moment where they all so clearly need each other. 

“Alright.” He says once they reach their room. “We’re going to talk.” He sends Jongin a look before the other can start protesting. The younger just sighs and crosses his arms. With a little struggling he set’s Kyungsoo down, also ignoring how the other is clearly sending glares Jongin’s way. 

He levels them both with a look as he waits for either of them to start talking. The two of them remain stubbornly silent, not even glaring at each other at this point. Chanyeol sighs, walking over to Jongin with the intention of starting this discussion. Otherwise they might very well spend the rest of the afternoon here. 

“What is there even to talk about. We need to head out to Sinmokdong as soon as possible.” Kyungsoo snaps, surprising Chanyeol who turns towards the shorter. Kyungsoo is glaring at them from his place on the floor, somehow managing to make Chanyeol to feel small even though he’s standing up and Kyungsoo’s sitting down. 

“Oh please. All you ever talk about is Sinmokdong.” Jongin huffs under his breath and Chanyeol feels his stomach twist uncomfortable. This is not going to go well. 

“Excuse you?” Kyungsoo says, sounding genuinely shocked. 

“I said all you ever talk about is Sinmokdong. All you ever think about is yourself. Have you even once under this whole trip stopped to think of how we might feel?” Jongin spits back. 

“You didn’t have to come with me!” Kyungsoo hisses at him, eyes thinning even more as he leans forwards. 

“We kind of had to, considering you keep getting your leg fucked up.” Jongin sneers, gesturing towards Kyungsoo’s bandaged leg. 

“And who’s fault is that?” Kyungsoo snaps. 

“Oh so now it’s my fault huh?!” Jongin asks, taking a step forwards and Chanyeol takes a step between the two of them, not wanting this to turn physical. “Was it my fault that the Passengers attacked too?” 

“If you both had listened to me from the beginning neither of this would have happened.” Kyungsoo growls, gesturing towards Chanyeol and Jongin. Jongin makes a move to step forward again but Chanyeol holds him back. 

“Jongin calm down.” He says softly, trying to catch Jongin’s eyes. He’s not ready for Jongin to push him away. He stumbles, catching himself against the wall. 

“I calm down?! He’s the one who’s screaming!” Jongin spits, pointing towards Kyungsoo. 

“You started it!” Kyungsoo points an accusatory finger towards Jongin. 

“Yeah how?” Jongin asks childishly. 

“Yeah how.” Kyungsoo mimics. “I’ll tell you how. You told me you fucking care about people’s homes. If you didn’t give a fuck then why did you come in the first place!?” 

“Don’t you fucking dare tell me what I do and don’t give a fuck about!” Jongin moves forwards again and Chanyeol catches his arms. 

“Jongin calm down.” He tries again, ready this time when Jongin tries to push him away. 

“I will not. Are you hearing what he’s saying?!” Jongin snaps at him and Chanyeol takes a deep breath in order not to get angry himself. 

“Are you hearing what you’re saying!” Kyungsoo practically screams, face red with rage. Chanyeol is glad the smaller can’t stand up or he’s sure this would have turned physical minutes ago. “You fucking lied to me! I thought you gave a fuck about my people! Sinmokdong is relying on us and neither of you two are doing anything to help me!” 

“Kyungsoo you’re hurt. We can’t move you now.” Chanyeol tries, turning his head away from Jongin for a short moment to meet Kyungsoo’s eyes. Apparently it had been the wrong thing to say because Kyungsoo looks ready to explode. 

“Do you honestly think I give a fuck about my leg? It’s my fucking fault the metro is going to blow up! I need to fucking save them!” Kyungsoo screams, picking up the lunch box they had left there a few hours ago and hurling it towards the two of them. Jongin quickly hides behind Chanyeol who takes the hit to his left shoulder. 

“Will you fucking stop thinking about your stupid metro for one moment!” Jongin screams back, stepping out from behind Chanyeol. “Nothing’s going to fucking happen for another two and a half days!” 

Chanyeol freezes, taking a step away from Jongin. The youngest is breathing rapidly, his entire frame shaking with rage before his eyes widen and he realizes what he’s said. Behind him Chanyeol can hear Kyungsoo suck in a quick breath. 

“Yebo?” Chanyeol asks softly and Jongin turns his eyes towards Chanyeol’s, a look of regret behind the dark orbs. 

“What did you say?” Kyungsoo hisses and Jongin swallows thickly. 

“I said the bombs aren’t going to go off for another two and a half day. By midday the day after tomorrow the City hall will destroy the entrances to the metro.” He says, not looking at Kyungsoo. Chanyeol feels his heart ache, a strange feeling of hurt spreading in his chest. 

“Who told you that?” He asks. 

“Taemin.” Jongin answers simply. 

“Taemin.” Kyungsoo mimics, spitting out the word as if it’s poisonous “Of course he fucking told you that. What else have _precious_ Taemin told you? Huh?!” 

“Fuck you Kyungsoo.” Jongin sneers and Chanyeol takes a hold of Jongin’s arm, growing tired of this ridiculous name calling. 

“Is that the best you got?” Kyungsoo asks with a humorless laugh. “Maybe you should go speak to that piece of shit again and get him to tell you some better insults.” 

“Don’t fucking speak of him that way!” Jongin snaps, tearing his arm from Chanyeol’s grasp. 

“I’ll speak of him however I want!” Kyungsoo bites back. 

“You’re the worst fucking person on the planet!” Jongin hisses, his voice wavering and Chanyeol turns his eyes towards Kyungsoo. The shorter is smirking at Jongin, showing no remorse over the words he’s hurling at the other. 

“If Taemin’s so much better why don’t you go and suck his fucking dick then!” Kyungsoo screams, pointing towards the door. 

“Maybe I fucking will!” Jongin screams back, starting to stop off towards the door as Kyungsoo picks up the other lunch box. 

“Both of you shut up!” Chanyeol growls, feeling his already thin patience with the two snap. Jongin stops, shoulders hunched up to his ears. Kyungsoo on the other hand doesn’t stop moving, pulling back the lunch box with the intention of throwing it. Chanyeol quickly bends down, grabbing his wrist in a tight grip and making the smaller look up at him. Behind the raging fire in his large eyes is a layer of hurt and in normal cases that would be enough for Chanyeol to let him go. But not this time. 

“Put it down.” He threatens, tightening his grip on Kyungsoo’s wrist until the lunchbox clatter to the ground. He turns his eyes towards Jongin who’s still frozen halfway to the door. “Sit down.” He orders and Jongin nods, quickly moving to sit down and turning towards the two of them. 

There are two thin tracks of tears marking his cheeks and Chanyeol feels the anger build inside him. He turns back towards Kyungsoo who’s stubbornly staring at the floor. 

“Apologize.” He says, barely recognizing his own voice. 

“What for. I haven’t-” Kyungsoo starts and Chanyeol reaches out to grab his chin, forcing him to meet his eyes. 

“I said fucking apologize.” He growls and Kyungsoo quickly nods, looking over at Jongin who’s wiped the tears away from his tears. 

“I’m sorry.” He says quietly, licking his lips and casting a look at Chanyeol. “I...I’m sorry for what I said about Taemin. He hasn’t done anything.” Kyungsoo sighs, clearly struggling with himself. “It’s just you don’t even-” He resumes and Chanyeol quickly stop him. 

“No justifications. You hurt his feelings. You know why. Be a fucking man and apologize.” He says in a low voice and Kyungsoo shrinks in on himself, his hands fiddling with the bandage wrapped around his leg. 

“I know he means a lot to you.” Kyungsoo continues quietly as if he doesn’t really want to be heard. “He’s a part of your home and you probably thought he was dead all these years so I shouldn’t have been so mean at him. Or about him.” He takes a deep breath, lips working wordlessly for a moment before he continues. “You have every right to spend time with him and I shouldn’t be jealous. I was wrong. I’m sorry.” He forces out, his voice a little stronger towards the end as he looks up towards Jongin. The other nods once, sniffing a little. 

“Good.” Chanyeol turns his eyes towards Jongin who looks away but nods, knowing he’s next. 

“I’m sorry too. I know you’re worried about Sinmokdong. And I don’t think you only think about yourself. Taemin told me that the City hall had been by and warned them not to go near the tunnel entrances because they were going to blow them up in two days to stop the passengers and instead of telling you as soon as I knew I kept it to myself so I could spend more time with Taemin. It was selfish of me, and wrong. I’m sorry.” Jongin says, eyes flickering between Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol nods once more, smiling softly at Jongin who offers up a smile of his own. 

“And I’m sorry too Jongin. I knew too how much Taemin means to you and instead of letting you catch up with him and allow you to properly introduce him to us I shut you out. I’m sorry.” He says and Jongin nods, sniffing once more but looking in control of himself. Chanyeol smiles, leaning to the side to give Kyungsoo a quick peck before moving over to Jongin to do the same. 

“Now clean up the food and I’ll roll out the bed rolls so we can cuddle.” He says and Jongin lets out a groan, shaking his shoulders as he looks over at the mess the food had made on the floor. He still stands up and starts scooping the food up, Kyungsoo scooting over to do the same. 

Chanyeol can hear both of them quietly apologize once more as he works on laying out the thick mattresses. He can’t help but smile at the sight of the two of them hunched over a lunch box, Kyungsoo leaning against Jongin who’s squatting down. They look like two kids who just got scolded but the relief of having the two of them being civil towards each other again overrides any guilt Chanyeol feels over having raised his voice towards them. He doesn’t like screaming, doesn’t like fighting. And least of all he likes seeing the two most important people in his life hurting each other. 

Once the bedrolls are made he helps them pick up the remaining food from the floor before him and Jongin help Kyungsoo over to the bedrolls. It’s not even sundown and it’s definitely too early to go to bed but all of them are exhausted from the past few days and a nap has never hurt anyone. Chanyeol pulls down Jongin to lay in the middle of the three of them, wrapping the youngest up in his arms despite the other protesting slightly. He knows Jongin is a cuddler but nowhere near as much as he is, meaning that plenty happy with just holding hands or leaning against each other. Chanyeol on the other hand just wants to stay as close as possible. 

He hasn’t got a proper read on Kyungsoo yet. Once in the mood he’s plenty happy to let himself be hoisted around by either of them but if you try it at the wrong time you will get punched in the arm, hard. Right now he still seems a little ruffled from the fight before and Jongin and him have settled in for simply linking their fingers together. 

“What you thinking about Soo?” Chanyeol asks after a few minutes of silence. There is still a small frown on the smaller’s face and he would prefer if nothing is left unsaid before they move on. 

“We’ll be going to Sinmokdong tomorrow, right.” Kyungsoo says, his harsh voice making it more of a statement than a question but Chanyeol doesn’t miss the way his hands keep fiddling with Jongin’s. 

“Do you think you can handle it?” He asks, lifting his head from Jongin’s chest to get a proper look at Kyungsoo. The other meets his eyes, a determined look in those dark orbs, and nods curtly. Chanyeol looks down at Jongin between the two of them, silently raising his eyebrows to get the other’s opinion on the subject. 

It’s not really a question. They have to move out tomorrow if they want to have any chance of reaching Sinmokdong before the bombs go off but Chanyeol still wants Jongin to have an input. He doesn’t like making the decisions for the group, even if he is the oldest and technically has the most experience. They’re in this together, meaning they all have equal say in the whole thing. 

“First thing in the morning.” Jongin promises, taking Chanyeol’s moment of distraction as an opportunity to release himself from the other’s grasp and roll closer to Kyungsoo. He presses a quick kiss to the shorter’s chubby cheeks and Kyungsoo sends him a halfhearted glare in return.

Chanyeol feels a smile grow on his lips as he lays back down, snuggling up against Jongin’s back and reaching over the other to grab Kyungsoo’s free hand. 

“Rest now.” He says, pressing a kiss against the tanned skin of Jongin’s neck and giving Kyungsoo’s hand a squeeze. They have a long day ahead of them tomorrow.


	24. Chapter 24 - Jongin

Sinmokdong station is only an hour and a half walk away from Mokdong and now that Jongin can see the small metro sign some a few meters ahead of him he can’t help but ask himself if this really is it? All this fighting, all the struggling, all the hours upon hours spent walking just for this. 

Kyungsoo is quiet next to him, a little bit too quiet even compared to his usual quiet self. Jongin wonders if he feels like he does, feels like they’ve missed something, forgotten something. But no, they’re finally here and soon they’ll be back down in the metro once more. He shudders at the thought, none too eager to go back down into the darkness. 

It still feels like it’s clinging to him since last time, the memory of what happened last time they stepped foot underground tainting a part of his worldview black. Maybe this is how Kyungsoo always feels, the heavy weight of what lurks down there constantly hanging from his shoulders, always present whenever Jongin looks too deep into his eyes. He subconsciously reaches out and places a hand on Kyungsoo’s knee, seeking comfort just as much as giving it. 

Kyungsoo looks down at him from where he’s riding on Chanyeol’s back. His leg looks better today. It’s still swollen and bruised but the bleeding has stopped and the wound scabbed over over night. As long as they keep it clean he will be fully recovered in a few weeks. 

“We’re here.” He says softly. He pulls up his gun, walking forwards carefully as he makes sure there is nothing lurking on the stairs leading down to the entrance. The dusty stairs are empty, a thick layer of rubble covering them. It looks like nothing has been down here for many years. 

The area around Sinmokdong is still standing, buildings long since empty and the nearest highrise Mokdong that they left almost two hours ago. There area is still picked almost clean and during the whole walk here he hasn’t spotted any sign of mutants. They most likely stay out of the area considering the firepower Mokdong is carrying. He had been allowed to borrow one of their high caliber rifles for the trek and he heavy gun feels odd in his hands. He hopes he doesn’t have to use it, not wanting to know the devastating power behind it. 

“Clear.” He calls back to Chanyeol who hurries over best he can with Kyungsoo on his back. He has been carrying him the whole way because while Jongin’s twisted foot isn’t nearly as bad as it could have been he still can’t support both himself and Kyungsoo. 

“There are no people on the upper floors and we don’t send out Seekers so the door should still be locked.” Kyungsoo says and Jongin nods, helping Chanyeol down to the bottom of the stairs before pushing against the metal door leading into the metro. 

Just like Kyungsoo said it’s locked. He moves back before shoving his shoulder against the door, hearing a lock rattle on the other side. He does the same thing again, the door refusing to move. 

“Just shoot it.” Kyungsoo says, sounding a little impatient and Jongin reluctantly complies. He asks Chanyeol to move back a little, afraid of what the gun might do to the door, before he takes aim and gently squeezes the trigger. 

The bang that follows is loud enough to make his ears ring, the kick back from the gun hitting him hard in the shoulder. The door flies open, banging against the other side of the metal divider before swinging back towards the opening. Once it returns into view Jongin can see that not only is the lock gone, there is a hole where the handle used to be large enough to pass a foot through. 

“At least we know if anything dares come our way we’ll be safe.” Chanyeol comments, hoisting Kyungsoo further up his back. Jongin nods, grimly staring at the now destroyed door before putting the safety back on his gun and securing it to his front. 

“Let’s go.” He says, pushing the door open and stepping inside. 

It’s just as dark as he remembers it, blackness descending onto him the moment his foot touches the once polished floor. He looks back over his shoulder, watching Chanyeol and Kyungsoo climb inside before gently pushing the door closed. A little bit of light still filters in through the hole in the door but the area it lights up is barely enough for them to make out each other. 

They’re silent as the pull out their coats and flashlights, Kyungsoo once again wrapping his green scarf around his neck and now that Jongin knows what it means he can’t help but reach out and give Kyungsoo’s shoulder a soft squeeze. The other smiles back at him, nodding a little as if to say he’s alright. 

“That way.” Kyungsoo points, his flashlight lighting up another staircase leading down into the depth and Jongin has to swallow down the lump in his throat before he can make himself stand up. He doesn’t want to go back down into the metro. It’s like instinct, his body telling him danger hides down there. 

Still he forces himself to stand up and take the front, one hand resting on his gun and the other holding his flashlight. Kyungsoo grunts as Chanyeol hoists him up on his back, the sound swallowed up by the darkness before it can echo. It makes the uneasy feeling grow inside Jongin even more. He knows neither light nor sound is supposed to behave this way and last time it happened...he doesn’t want to think of last time. 

“Is...is the tunnel singing?” He asks the pair behind him, tearing his eyes away from the staircase for a moment to make sure they haven’t lost anyone. He knows Chanyeol can hear the tunnel now, even if it’s only the tiniest of bits, and almost wishes he could too just so he could tell when they are really in danger. 

“No.” Kyungsoo answers with a shake of his head. “It’s just the tunnel freight. Don’t let it get to you.” He says and Jongin nods, shaking his head to try and clear the feeling of wrong. Among the three of them he’s the most easily affected by whatever power the darkness uses to lure people into its grasp. 

They start their slow descent down the stairs, Chanyeol having to hold on tightly to the bannisters in order to not tip over with Kyungsoo. Jongin sticks close to them, constantly casting looks both up and down the stairs to make sure they aren’t followed. 

This staircase is long too, much longer than the one in the Terminal and at Sindorim. Once they reach the first break in he still can’t see the bottom and Chanyeol is breathing heavily. They still have plenty more to go before they’ve reached the main hall. 

“Shouldn’t we be seeing lights at the bottom?” Chanyeol asks as they take a small break. Jongin nods, agreeing. It feels too much like when they went down at Hangangjin. Maybe this is another trick of the tunnels, the long corridors not leading them where they should but instead trapping them in an never ending maze. He shudders at the thought, taking a step closer to Chanyeol 

“No.” Kyungsoo answers, shifting a little to ease the strain on Chanyeol’s back. “We have the area in front of the stairs blocked off and guarded, in case a Conductor should come that way.” 

At the mention of the creature’s name a shiver runs down Jongin’s spine. He casts a quick look around himself, half expecting an Icy blue eye to be observing them from the top of the stairs but just like last time he looked it’s empty. 

“Don’t say stuff like that.” Chanyeol groans and Jongin nods, sending Kyungsoo a small glare. Kyungsoo grins quickly before apologizing. The shorter’s light mood helps ease Jongin’s own. If Kyungsoo can be relaxed right now that means right now they’re as safe as they can get. If not, Kyungsoo would have surely made them leave already. 

“Let’s continue.” Jongin says, casting a look at Chanyeol who nods and straightens a little. Kyungsoo raises his flashlight once more, aiming it down the stairs and Jongin does the same. 

They continue, the soft sounds of their boots hitting the staircase echoing around them until it almost sounds like a heartbeat in Jongin’s ears. With each step the low Thump-thump-thump bounces back at him. It almost sounds like instead of just two pairs of feet making their way down the stairs a group of maybe 10 people are walking. Invisible people, joining him down the stairs. 

Maybe they’re the memories still lingering from before, a remainder from a time when these stairs had never been empty. People rushing up and down at all times during the day. Maybe the memories of people walking here years before them, still trying to figure out a way to move forwards after the bombs fell and destroyed everything. 

Maybe it’s the shadow people Kyungsoo once told him about. The ones lingering in the corner of your field of vision, never truly there but still as real as any of us. The ones who follows you if you’re alone, drawing nearer and nearer until it’s too late and you’re one of them. 

Before the thought can fully manifest in his head a bright light fills the staircase in front of him, momentarily blinding him and making him stumble. His feet slip on the stairs, soles of his boots gliding along the edges and he falls. His butt collides with the cold rock, tailbone taking a blow as he slides down three more steps before he comes to a halt halfway between lying down and sitting up. 

“Who’s there?” A rough voice calls, the accent one of the metro. Behind the lights Jongin can make out a group of 5 people, all except one with their guns raised and aimed at them. The one in the centre holds a bright flashlight aimed directly at them, face hidden behind the strong beam. 

Jongin looks up at Kyungsoo who’s still trying to blink the spots away from his field of vision. Chanyeol looks just as shocked as Jongin feels, frozen in place with his foot halfway down the next step and his hands holding on almost vice like to the barrister. 

“Friends!” Kyungsoo shouts, raising his flashlight high in the air before moving it in three large clockwise circles. He looks over at Jongin, squinting in the bright light and mouths for him to do the same. 

Quickly Jongin copies the motions, making sure to try an imitate the motions as precisely as possible incase there is some hidden code behind them he doesn’t understand the importance of. 

There is a second of silence, time stretching out between them impossibly long. Jongin can feel his heart pound in his chest, his hand still tightly grasping the flashlight in case they need to do more code. 

At last the person holding the flashlight raises it, making the same motion back at them before turning it off. Darkness floods the tunnel once more and Jongin has to blink several times before his eyes once again get used to the dim glow of the remaining flashlights. 

“Have you spotted anything?” The voice asks and Jongin looks over at Kyungsoo who shakes his head in answer. The shorter motions for Jongin to stand back up and Chanyeol slowly completes his movement down the step. 

“We’re not followed. We’re coming to visit the Byun family.” Kyungsoo replies and finally the figure gestures towards the other to lower their guns. 

“Do you need help down the stairs?” The voice asks and Chanyeol answers yes before Kyungsoo can stop him. Jongin hurries over to the two of them, not entirely trusting the new group of people. 

The sentiment seems to be shared because as their leader motions for them to move closer there is a hesitance behind their steps. Still they move up to them, a group of three girls and two boys barely older than Jongin. The biggest among them, a girl almost as tall as himself with a build similar to Kyungsoo, easily pulls the shorter onto her back. She carries him down the stairs with ease and Jongin has to hold in a chuckle as Chanyeol comments on how much the pair looks like each other. 

Kyungsoo seems to hear him because he aims a deadly glare at Jongin, causing him to snort and hide behind Chanyeol so that the other won’t see he’s laughing at him. The short burst of adrenaline makes him feel light and giddy as they walk down the few steps still remaining. 

They’re finally here. All of them safe and sound, somewhat. And the feeling of relief that bubbled up in him once the guns had been lowered suddenly explodes and he pulls in a deep breath, the moist metro air filling his lungs. 

Sinmokdong stretches out in front of him. The station is small and dark, the fire burning in the middle weak and people weary. It’s a sad place but even the heavy feeling of misery hanging in the air isn’t enough to drag Jongin’s mood down. 

He looks over at Kyungsoo, seeing the smaller smile. The soft look in his eyes as he looks at few residents around the small fire makes Jongin’s heart speed up in his chest. He reaches out, grabbing hold of Kyungsoo’s hand, and the shorter tears his eyes from the main hall for a short moment to send a blinding smile Jongin’s way. His eyes are nothing but thin half moons and his lips are pulled up into a bright heart shaped smile. 

Jongin feels his knees go weak, sure there is an equally wide smile on his lips. Kyungsoo looks so happy, so at ease. _So at home_. Something loosens inside him, a knot in his guts that he’s barely been aware of.

They did it. They made it. They're finally here, at Sinmokdong. Kyungsoo is home. His home is still intact, still standing, and they have until midday tomorrow to convince everyone that they need to flee. Taemin had already told them that Mokdong is more than happy to take in refugees and Jongin is sure that if they are to return to Yeouido with more people than they left with Junmyeon and Minseok wouldn’t go back on their promise to help out Sinmokdong. 

“Soo-ya?” A lady calls out, a surprised look on her face. She’s hunched down on the ground, having been roughly scrubbing something that looks very much like leather until moments ago. She stands up, her eyes widening further as she takes in the state of Kyungsoo. 

He looks tired, all three of them do, and the bandage on his left leg is exposed, his calf and ankle too swollen to pull his boots on that morning. Other than that there is the obvious wear and tear from their long trip, bruises and scrapes covering them. A gauntness to their faces from not having eaten enough and the layer of dust that always covers you the moment you step foot outside. 

Jongin has to admit Kyungsoo surely looks very different from when they first found him. 

“Auntie!” Kyungsoo calls, waving as the guard carrying him bows at the lady, addressing her as Mrs Byun. 

She hurries over, quickly grabbing Kyungsoo’s outreached hand and squeezing it tightly between her own. 

“Where have you been young man? You just disappeared without a word. Baekhyun the idiot almost went over to Seonyudo station to find you!” She scolds, releasing Kyungsoo’s hand for a short moment to slap him on the head. Kyungsoo sheepishly apologizes and Jongin can’t help but smile as Mrs Byun pinches his cheek before ordering the guard to let Kyungsoo down so she can hug him. 

Chanyeol is next to him in a moment, helping Kyungsoo down and supporting him as he tightly hugs Mrs Byun. She pulls away with a fond smile before once more pinching him, his ear falling prey to her strong fingers this time. This time Jongin does laugh, hiding behind his hand as Kyungsol sends him a glare, his ears bright red and a pink tint to his cheek. 

“And who are these young men?” Mrs Byun asks next, looking over at Jongin and Chanyeol who bows quickly. 

“My boyfriends.” Kyungsoo whispers, leaning closer to Chanyeol almost as if to hide. It’s completely out of character and Jongin can’t help but feel his heart swell in chest at Kyungsoo’s shyness. In this moment he truly looks like a son being questioned by his mother and the display of trust and vulnerability has left Jongin feeling weak. 

“Ooh?” Mrs Byun’s eyebrows shoot up, her eyes raking over Chanyeol and Jongin takes a step forwards, plastering himself against Kyungsoo’s side. They’re _boyfriends_ after all. Not boyfriend. Mrs Byun’s eyes turn to him next, a small smile gracing her lips. “We’ll that’s a first.” Is all she says and Jongin has to struggle to hold back a second laugh. Kyungsoo turns even redder between them, roughly pinching Chanyeol’s thigh as the taller presses a kiss on the crown of his head. 

“Where is Baekhyunie-hyung?” Kyungsoo asks, quickly changing the subject when it looks like Mrs Byun is about to make another comment. 

“Oh he’s tending to the goats.” She says, gesturing off into an arcade. “I won’t keep you sweetie. Just make sure you're all home in time for dinner.” She smiles, reaching out to cup Kyungsoo’s cheek with one of her hands. “Bring the boyfriends.” She says with a wink, giving Kyungsoo’s cheek a tap before saying goodbye to all of them. 

“So we’re your first?” Jongin whispers in Kyungsoo’s ear as soon as Mrs Byun is out of earshot. Kyungsoo punches him hard in the arm in reply, making Chanyeol bark out a loud laugh. Jongin can’t stop the giggles from escaping him, having to jump out of the way as Kyungsoo raises his arm in threat once more. By now his face is so flushed he’s almost red and hiding behind the fierce glare is a shyness Jongin has grown to love. 

“Come on.” Chanyeol crouches down in front of Kyungsoo, still chuckling lightly at the shorter. “Lead us to this Baekhyun guy.” Kyungsoo sends Jongin one last look, daring him to comment once more, before climbing up on Chanyeol’s back with surely much more pinching than necessary. Chanyeol yelps at each and every little nip of Kyungsoo’s strong fingers but it looks more for show than from actual pain. 

Finally Kyungsoo is back up on Chanyeol’s back and pointing out the way for them towards the goats. They’re kept in one of the old underpass tunnels that had caved in around the time of the dust cloud. Kyungsoo told them that the goats are said to come from an illegal petting zoo kept in a basement not far from the metro entrance but that no one knows for sure.

What they do know though is that without the goats Sinmokdong would have been doomed long long ago before any Passenger could start threatening the station. The livestock provides them with food, leather and economic power and if Kyungsoo hadn’t become a currier he would probably have become a leather tailor just like Mrs Byun. 

After about five minutes of walking a weird sound suddenly reaches Jongin’s ears and he has his gun pointed down the tunnel in front of them before he can fully register what he’s doing. Chanyeol quickly hides behind him, counting on his protection incase things go south. 

“What’s that Soo-yah?” Jongin mumbles, subconsciously having picked up the nickname. Kyungsoo kicks him lightly in the backpack, causing Jongin to send him a glare. 

“It’s just the goats.” He laughs, patting Chanyeol’s shoulders as if to speed him up. “This part of the station is safe.” He reassures Jongin with a soft smile and,trusting Kyungsoo, Jongin lowers his gun once more. 

The sound comes again, a strange screaming sort of sound followed by a deeper cry of the same kind that vibrates slightly. It’s like nothing Jongin’s heard before and judging from the sound alone goats sound no better than wild hounds. 

“I’ve never seen a goat before.” Chanyeol comments, stopping a little to carefully hoist Kyungsoo further up his back. “What do they look like?” 

“They’re...about the size of a dog I guess.” Kyungsoo starts. “Four legs, fur, two horns, strong teeth.” He lists of and Jongin sucks on his bottom lip. The description accompanied with the rising cries creates an image in his head that is anything but pretty. Especially not when Kyungsoo adds that they have yellow eyes and hooves. He’s not entirely sure what those are but he’d rather not find out. 

These goats sound like some other abomination created in the aftermath of the dust cloud. Morphed into something wicked and haunting by the radiation and now hidden away in one of the corners of the metro, kept at a station under constant threat of even more horrors from the outside.

Jongin decides that it’s probably best if he keeps hold of his gun. 

“Just around the corner there.” Kyungsoo points to where the tunnel turns some 5 meters ahead of them and Jongin speeds up a little, wanting to have the threat under control before either Chanyeol or Kyungsoo gets near. 

The moment he rounds the corner the air gets knocked out of him. A pair of amber eyes are staring into his, the small goat perched on top of another larger goat that’s lazily chewing on something curled up on the ground. 

“Oh my god!” He breathes, taking a step closer to the goat. It screams, it’s tiny bleat filling the room before being answered back by a chorus of deeper bleats as the rest of the goats answer. There has to be at least forty of them, filling an area large as the main hall back in Yeouido. Most of them are gray or brown but the tiny goat still looking at him is pure white. 

“Woah!” Chanyeol says behind him and Jongin can only nod in agreement. They are-

“Adorable!” He gasps, stomping his feet quickly before moving forward towards the fence separating him from the creatures. He can hear Kyungsoo laugh at him from behind but doesn’t care because the small goat just fell down from the large one because Jongin startled it and he’s so sorry he didn’t mean to is it okay? 

“Woah oi oi _oi_!” A voice calls from next to him, grabbing his hand before he can reach out and make sure the tiny goat is okay. “Our goats are vegetarian, please don’t feed them your hand.” 

Jongin turns around, spotting a man about Kyungsoo’s height with a grin on his face. His hair is cut short in a similar way to Kyungsoo’s when they just found him but that’s about where the similarities end. 

“Haven’t seen you here before. You from Seonyudo or what?” He asks and Jongin can only sheepishly turn around and point towards Chanyeol who is struggling to put Kyungsoo down on the ground on his own.

The other turns around before gasping, releasing Jongin and taking two steps towards towards Kyungsoo. 

“Oppa!” He screams, making Chanyeol startle and almost fall over. As Kyungsoo looks up the guy shakes his hips in what could have been considered a sensual way if he hadn’t been screaming at the same time and dressed in overalls that stunk of manure. 

“Really?” Kyungsoo asks before the guy is rushing forwards and enveloping Kyungsoo in a tights hug, making sure to rub as much of the overalls against Kyungsoo as the smaller stars complaining. 

Jongin has half a thought to rescue Kyungsoo but after one too loud giggle from the other guy has Kyungsoo calling out and not so gently slapping his face away Jongin decides the shorter can handle himself. 

There is a moment of quiet between them before Kyungsoo bursts out into a laugh and the other guy joins in, embracing each other in a much gentler way this time around. 

“I can’t believe you ditched me for these losers.” The guy says as they break apart and Chanyeol lets out a noise of protest. 

“We’re not losers.” He protests gently, trying not too subtly to slide up against Kyungsoo’s side. 

“Sounds like something a loser would say.” The guy fires back but Kyungsoo’s fingers twisting his ear has him backing off before he can say anything else to Chanyeol. 

“Hyung.” Kyungsoo says, reaching out to steady himself against Chanyeol once the support from the previous hugging left him. Jongin chooses this moment to inch forwards, joining up against Chanyeol’s free side even though he doesn’t really want to leave the goats. 

“These are Chanyeol and Jongin. Jongin, Chanyeol, this idiot is Baekhyun. My friend.” Kyungsoo introduces and Jongin does a mix between a hello, a bow and wave all at the same time. Chanyeol simply tightens his hold around Jongin and Kyungsoo’s waists, greeting Baekhyun with simple ‘hello’. 

“Best friend.” Baekhyun introduces himself, holding out a dirt smeared hand. 

“ _Friend_.” Kyungsoo corrects as Chanyeol and Jongin shake the hand. 

“Bestest.” Baekhyun insists. Kyungsoo punches him and then they’re both giggling again. Jongin sends Chanyeol a look but the taller is simply beaming down at the pair as they do some sort of game that Baekhyun wins with a loud cheer. It’s clear that he already likes Baekhyun. 

“So why is goat boy and Mr tall cruising with you?” Baekhyun asks, ignoring Kyungsoo correction of their names. 

“Um...”Chanyeol asks, clearly hesitant to spill the actual reason why they're here. Finding out that your home is about to be destroyed in less than 24 hours as a part of introductions doesn’t really seem like the best line of action for delivering their news. 

“We’re dating Kyungsoo.” Jongin says, pulling out the old verb he read in an old magazine once. It is used to describe a new relationship with someone and also it makes him sound smart. Not that he needs to impress Kyungsoo’s (best) friend. 

This seems to blanch Baekhyun who only gapes in reponse, eyes flickering between Jongin, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. Jongin feels a little pride, stepping over to Kyungsoo and looping an arm around his waist him too. He is thinking of kissing the shorter but judging from the glare he’s being sent that would probably have earned him another punch so some cuddling will have to be enough to mark who Kyungsoo belongs to. 

“ _Damn_.” Baekhyun settles for and Kyungsoo turns red once again eyebrows so closely drawn they’re almost touching. 

“Shut up.” Kyungsoo snaps and Baekhyun quickly changes subject, clearly able to read that Kyungsoo isn’t up for much more teasing. Instead he jumps for Jongin, grabbing the youngest hand and pulling him towards the goats. 

“Say hello to them.” He urges and Jongin sends a pleading look behind himself. Kyungsoo only smirks in response and okay Jongin might deserve that but he can’t help the small pout that forms on his lips. 

The moment the first goat comes up to him and nobbles the root Baekhyun had told him to hold out the pout is exchanged for a happy smile. The goats look kind of wonky, their eyes holding not much promise of intelligence and their spindly legs stumbling over each other as they rush forwards at the promise of food. Jongin still loves them though, his heart swelling as Baekhyun allows him to enter the pen. 

The animals flock around him and the other, buffing their hands and nibbling at their pants as if looking for more roots. Baekhyun pushes them away with practised ease and Jongin carefully zigzags through them as he follows the other. 

He can hear Kyungsoo and Chanyeol argue behind them and when he casts a look behind he can see Kyungsoo back on Chanyeol’s back scolding the taller for not closing the gate properly. 

They spend the rest of the afternoon with the goats. Chanyeol places Kyungsoo in the tool cart upon Baekhyun’s suggestions and despite loud and angry protests from the smaller he stays there for the rest of the day. Baekhyun resumes his work duties, feeding the goats and cleaning up after them. Chanyeol joins him, quickly hitting it off with Baekhyun, and Jongin stays with Kyungsoo, the baby goat from earlier perched on his lap and Jongin does _not cry_ when it falls asleep in his arms. 

(Kyungsoo kisses his cheeks ever so softly, chasing away the tears and laughing at Jongin’s quiet protests that he just got something in his eyes. Jongin tells him he’s cuter than any goat and Kyungsoo pinches him but the smile hidden in the thick green scarf around his neck tells Jongin all he needs to know) 

When they return to the station, Kyungsoo still perched in the tool cart to let Chanyeol’s back rest, Baekhyun leads them to a small tent in the corner of the station and Mrs Byun greets them with a quiet smile. 

Jongin stays quiet during the dinner, instead listening to Baekhyun and Chanyeol talk. They let it slip that they’re from above on the walk home and Baekhyun hadn’t been able to stop talking about it since. Chanyeol is more than happy to indulge him, speaking at length about his life on the surface and on the highrise. 

Jongin finds himself staring at Chanyeol as he vividly describes the farms on the roofs of the highrise. It shouldn’t be interesting, after all Jongin has seen them almost every day for the past years, but he still hangs on to every word. The way Chanyeol paints a picture of greenery, of blue sky and golden sunlight. Of reflective sand and the smell that lingers after a good monsoon rain. It makes his heart beat faster, his fingertips tingle with the want to touch and his lips to smile until his cheeks hurt. 

Next to Chanyeol rests Kyungsoo, his eyes closed as he listens but a soft smile playing on his lips. Everyone around the table is just as captivated and it’s probably that, more than the actual story, that has Jongin’s heart swelling with pride for his partner. 

As silence lovers over them, Chanyeol finally finishing and the last spoonful of soup eaten the light mood suddenly leaves them. Even Baekhyun, who’s had a grin on his lips from the first moment Jongin saw him, is looking grim. Jongin realizes why when Kyungsoo clears his throat. 

“I assume you know I’m not just here for a visit.” He says and instead of the joke Jongin expects Baekhyun to crack the other just nods solemnly. 

“Is it because of the Conductors?” He asks and Jongin can see this comment throws Kyungsoo off for a second. “The management spoke about them the other day.”

“What did they say?” Kyungsoo asks, leaning forwards towards Baekhyun who sends his mom a look before licking his lips. 

“They said the Terminal is coming.” He starts. “They have heard about the problem we’ve been having with the Conductors and they’ve decided to do something about it.” He says and Jongin feels his eyebrows rise. But...he thought the Terminal didn’t want anyone to know about their plan.

“Do what?” Kyungsoo questions, looking as lost as Jongin feels. Shouldn’t the station already be evacuating if they know what is going to happen. Surely no one will want to stay on a station they know will be destroyed. 

“They’re finally coming to help.” Baekhyun breathes, a large grin breaking out on his lips. Kyungsoo’s face falls and Jongin can feel himself mimic the confused look on Chanyeol’s face. “All we have to do is stay out and tomorrow evening they will be here. They’re bringing the real deal this time so we’ll for sure bring an end to it this time around.” 

“But...what about the bombs?” Chanyeol asks and Baekhyun frowns. 

“What bombs?” Baekhyun asks and Chanyeol not so subtly looks down at Kyungsoo. The shorter is wearing a grim look in his eyes as he looks over at Baekhyun. 

“Baek. Hyung. The Conductors come from inside the metro.” He says and Baekhyun frowns. “The- the highrises above found out. When I last left I was carrying a letter from our Management to the Terminal. They told me it was a solution to the Conductor problem but that they needed the managements help.” He explains, his eyebrows drawn into a look of worry. Opposite him Baekhyun simply looks confused. 

“I ended up on the surface.” Kyungsoo continues. “Chanyeol and Jongin found me. They saved me and I had meant to leave as soon as I could and continue on my original mission.” Kyungsoo swallows, pointedly not meeting Jongin’s eyes as he reveals the last part. “But the highrise got attacked, by a Conductor, and I couldn’t stand idly by when more people faced the same problem we did. I told them about my letter, expecting it to be just what I had been told. But instead it was an order to bomb Sinmokdong since management believe that the Conductors originate from here.” 

Kyungsoo pauses, his eyes flicking towards Jongin’s for a moment and the lost look in them has Jongin forgetting all about how Kyungsoo had planned on abandoning them in the beginning. It is in the past. What matters is right now and saving as many of the residents of Sinmokdong as possible. 

“The highrise decided to report this to their central, hoping to find out more about the Conductors. By the time we reached them they had already found out that they came from here, the metro, and decided to destroy all entrances. I managed to convince them to wait until we talked to the Terminal about how to save everyone here but when I arrived there the Terminal already knew and now they’re going to destroy the entrances and cut off all stations from each other.” Kyungsoo finishes, drawing in a short breath before looking up into Baekhyun’s eyes. 

Baekhyun is staring back at him as if he’s never seen Kyungsoo before in his life. His hands are trembling where they rest on the small table and his breath his shuddering with each inhale. 

“Hyung I’m so sorr-” Kyungsoo starts but Baekhyun cuts him off. 

“No! No the Terminal will be here tomorrow.” He says, sounding unsure of himself. “They’ll be here. They’ll help us.” 

“The bombs will go off tomorrow at midday. I’m sorry Baek, I’m really sorry.” Kyungsoo whispers, reaching out to take Baekhyun’s hand but the other tears it from Kyungsoo’s reach and stumbles to standing. 

“No. Fuck Kyungie this shit isn’t funny.” He spits, glaring down at Kyungsoo who shrinks in on himself. “I don’t care what shit that Jongdae dude have been telling you but the Terminal is coming here and they’re going to make things right.” Baekhyun growls, a wild look in his eyes. 

“No Baekhyun. We have to get out of here. We have to tell everyone at the station. You know I wouldn’t joke-” Kyungsoo tries but Baekhyun cuts him off again. 

“I said cut it out! How the fuck can you even talk about stuff like this Kyungsoo? Have the tunnels finally turned you insane?” Baekhyun laughs, pushing his short bangs out of his face. “Are anything you’re saying even real? Are these two even from the surface?”

Kyungsoo doesn’t answer. All he does is simply slide over the small envelope that started it all, his eyes glued to the table as Baekhyun snatches it from his fingers. There is a heavy pause that seems to stretch on for hours as Baekhyun reads the note, his already grim expression slowly turning more and more furious. 

“This is all your fault.”

Baekhyun’s words cut through Jongin like they’re made of steel and judging from the way Kyungsoo flinches he’s not the only one feeling the pain. A second later Baekhyun has left the tent and Kyungsoo is weakly calling out an apology behind him. 

“I’m sorry.” He whispers to Mrs Byun who simply nods before she too stands up and leaves the tent. 

The silence that stretches between them is so heavy it’s almost suffocating. The faint sounds of Baekhyun screaming out in anger echoes in from the outside, the sound cutting through the silence like lightning cuts through the night sky. Jongin clears his throat, looking over at where Kyungsoo is still staring at the table, his hands shaking where they clutch at the small paper slip that started it all. 

He casts a look over at Chanyeol who is fiddling with his clothes, looking just as uncomfortable with the situation as Jongin feels. This isn’t how things were supposed to go. They are supposed to work on making everyone ready to leave tomorrow. Instead there sitting here, at loss at what to do. 

This isn’t how things are supposed to be. Once they had reached Sinmokdong things were supposed to be alright. That was supposed to be the last obstacle on their trek. Things were supposed to be alright now, Baekhyun helping them evacuate and the three of them leading the population of Sinmokdong to Yeouido highrise where they would start a new life on the surface. 

Instead they’re sitting at a slowly molding tent, Kyungsoo looking close to tears and Jongin feeling more useless than he’s ever felt before. He doesn’t even know what to say to make things better. Because there is no way to make this better. 

“I’ll go talk to him.” Chanyeol says finally, breaking the silence. Kyungsoo nods and Jongin opens his mouth to ask why but Chanyeol shakes his head. With a tiny gesture he gestures to Kyungsoo before leaving them alone. Slowly licking his lips Jongin turns towards Kyungsoo. 

“Hey.” He whispers and as soon as the words are past his lips Kyungsoo sighs deeply and buries his face in his hands with a loud groan. Jongin startles, looking around himself for a way to approach the other. 

“He’s right.” Kyungsoo says, his voice muffled by his palms. “He’s right this all my fucking fault!” He snaps, flipping his bowl off the table before once again hiding away in his arms. Jongin quickly moves forwards, hands carefully landing on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. 

“No, none of this is your fault.” He says, gently stroking down Kyungsoo’s back. The smaller allows it and Jongin takes that as an invitation to move closer. 

“If I hadn’t fucking said anything none of this would have happened.” Kyungsoo bites out, his voice pained and it hurts Jongin to the core that Kyungsoo would even think such a thing. 

“Hey.” He whispers, trying to bring out Kyungsoo’s face from where it’s hiding. The shorter slaps his hands away. “If you hadn’t said anything who knows what would have happened.” 

“None of this bullshit that’s for sure.” Kyungsoo laughs but it’s a humorless laugh. Jongin slowly lets his hand travel up Kyungsoo’s back once more, snaking upwards until his nail are scraping against the nape of the shorter’s neck. This has Kyungsoo lifting his head, pressing back against Jongin’s gentle movements. 

His face is hard. His brows furrowed. Eyes squeezed shut. Lips pressed closely together. Every single part of his screams tension. Jongin wants to press his fingers against the deep wrinkles on his forehead, smoothing them out. 

He doesn’t. Instead he focuses on combing is fingers through the short hair at the back of Kyungsoo’s head. 

“If you hadn’t said anything who’s to say we would have ever found the source of the Passengers?” He says and Jongin can almost see the way Kyungsoo’s jaw clenches even harder. 

“If I hadn’t said anything everyone in the metro would live to see tomorrow night.” He says. HIs voice is thick, cracking. Jongin leans forwards, softly nosing against Kyungsoo’s jaw line and pressing a soft kiss to his temple. 

“It wasn’t your decision to kill anyone here.” He pulls back to see the way Kyungsoo grimaces at his words. “You’re not to blame for any of this.” 

“But if I _hadn’t_ said anything.” Kyungsoo starts but Jongin interrupts him. 

“Who’s to say the metro wouldn’t have ended up dead anyway?” He says and this time Kyungsoo pushes him away. Jongin grabs one of his hands, holding it in a strong grip. The smaller tugs at it, refusing to look at Jongin but his fingers are like iron around Kyungsoo’s wrist. 

“No. Kyungsoo listen. Nothing that has happened has been your fault. We know you. Baekhyun knows you. If you had been allowed any say in this we would already be safely back in Yeouido.” He says sternly. 

“I did have a say in this.” Kyungsoo whispers and Jongin pulls at the wrist in his grasp, forcing Kyungsoo to look at him. 

“You’re not to blame for any of this and if you keep up with this bullshit I will get Baekhyun and Chanyeol and have them smack some sense in you.” He threatens and Kyungsoo’s eyebrows slowly rise, a small smile gracing his lips for the shortest of seconds before the sad look returns to his eyes. 

“If Baekhyun ever wants to see me again.” He says and Jongin pulls in into a small sideways hug. Kyungsoo lets him this time, head falling limply against Jongin’s chest. 

“He’s your best friend. He’ll come around. He probably just needs a moment.” Jongin says, fingers returning to the nape of Kyungsoo’s neck. 

“He was right. It’s all my fault.” Kyungsoo whispers, pressing his face against Jongin’s chest. He can feel the hot breaths soak through his shirt, heating his skin. It’s making goosebumps travel up Jongin’s neck. 

“Don’t start again. Dwelling on the past doesn’t change anything. You have just as little control of the present as the rest of us.” Jongin says. Kyungsoo nods against him, a hand coming up to rest against Jongin’s thigh. The youngest presses a soft kiss against the top of Kyungsoo’s head. 

The silence returns over them, wrapping around them like a cold blanket. It’s a silence Jongin is used to, that of the metro, and it’s almost welcoming. He lets it stay as he slowly runs his fingers through Kyungsoo’s shortly shorn hair. Longer than when they first met him but shorter than both his and Chanyeol’s hair. 

Slowly the trembles running down Kyungsoo’s frame stop, his breath evening out. His hand travels from Jongin’s legs up to his shoulder, body twisting so Kyungsoo can properly hide himself in Jongin’s shirt. It’s warm and a little uncomfortable and Jongin cherishes every moment. 

After five minutes of silence Baekhyun returns to the tent, eyes red rimmed but determined. Kyungsoo is out of Jongin’s lap the moment they hear the tent flaps open and Jongin can’t help but remember how many times he’s done the same to Chanyeol. A clear distinct line between the comfort of his partners and friends. 

“Hey.” Is the first thing Baekhyun says, wiping his eyes. Chanyeol appears behind him, squeezing a large hand around Baekhyun’s thin shoulders. “Chanyeol kinda explained how things are. And how much you’ve gone through to make sure the metro was saved.” He says with a shrug, looking away from Kyungsoo who’s face is a mask of indifference. 

“I kinda wanted to say I’m sorry for acting like a little shit.” Baekhyun continues with a shrug, eyes hesitantly searching for Kyungsoo’s. 

“You are a little shit.” Kyungsoo says, barely able to keep a smile from his lips. 

“Your little shit.” Baekhyun grins with a wink before turning towards Jongin. “Anyhow Goatboy, me and Yeollie-yah need help convincing as many as possible to leave the station.” 

Jongin feels his eyes widen and he looks over at Chanyeol who looks just as puzzled. 

“Weren’t you...” He begins and Baekhyun nods. 

“Refusing to believe you? Yeah. But that’s old news. Right now I’m more on the not getting blown up train.” The other grins and Jongin blinks, watching Baekhyun pull Chanyeol out of the tent. 

Kyungsoo calls his name from the side, telling him none to gently to crouch down so he could get on Jongin’s back and join Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Jongin does as he’s told, still feeling like he’s missed something. 

Kyungsoo’s weight is familiar against his back and despite his ankle throbbing as he walk he still makes his way out of the tent. Baekhyun is briefing Chanyeol on which way around the station is the most efficient way to get as many people as possible and as they head out towards the first tent Jongin can’t help but feel like things might finally be turning around for them.


	25. Chapter 25 - Kyungsoo

His chest feels tight. The stale metro air is even harder to breathe than normal. The wound on his leg is pumping in time with his heart beat, a quick painful throb echoing in his ears. Another person turns away from him, pushing him away as if he is nothing, no one. 

“Lee Dohyun Mister!” He calls, a tightness in the way the words leave his throat, the same tightness that had slowly started building in the pit of his guts and is now biting into every single one of his muscles, making his skin feel to tight. “Please Lee Dohyun Mister.”

“Kyungsoo.” Jongin’s hand lands on his shoulder, stopping him from taking a step forwards and Kyungsoo catches himself. With a nod he steels himself, forcefully pushing back the panic thrumming underneath the surface. 

Five people. That’s all they’ve managed to convince. Five people. A whole night of sticking their heads in every tent and a whole morning of walking around the station. Five people. Sinmokdong had a population of over 200. That is 200 people they have failed to convince. 200 that will die. 200 whose blood will be on Kyungsoo’s hands. 

He can’t believe that the Terminal has managed to get such a good hold of Sinmokdong in the short time he has been away. The station had always been suspicious of the central station but apparently the empty promises of help being on the way had been enough to sway the station in their favour. 

Baekhyun had even told him that a shipment of weaponry had arrived last week and while the guns had been old and rusted desperation makes it seem like they are made of gold. Nevermind that there had barely been any ammunition. Nevermind that half of them had jammed before they got the first shot off. Nevermind that the pipes are stained with the blood of metro residents. The Terminal had promised something and kept that promise. That alone ensured loyalty in even the most remote of stations apparently. 

“Lee Dohyun mister has a wife.” Kyungsoo says quietly to Jongin, letting his eyes trail after the leaving man. “He has 2 children.” He continues, looking away at nothing in particular. He can hear Jongin hum next to him as the hand on his shoulder slowly slides downwards to rest on the small of his back. “He used to have 3. Minsoo-ya was killed last year in a Conductor attack.” 

Jongin hums, shifting a little closer and Kyungsoo takes a painful step to the side. He doesn’t want to be touched right now. He doesn’t even want too look at Jongin. He can’t. Not when the other is looking at him like that. 

“And now all of them will die.” He continues instead, voice rising. “Because Lee Dohyun mister is a _fucking_ coward who would rather sacrifice his family than help save the station he’s supposed to govern! “ He screams, making several people stop and look over at them. 

Lee Dohyun turns around, face slowly turning red with rage. Kyungsoo meets his gaze, feeling the same anger burn inside of himself. His hands shake as he slowly fists them. The quiet murmur that always buzzes through the station dies down, heads turning to look at who dared insult the head of management. 

“Everyone’s blood will be on your hands!” Kyungsoo adds, gesturing towards everyone around him. He can hear Jongin try to shush him and gives the younger a push with his hand, shutting him up. 

“How dare you?” Lee Dohyun hisses, starting to walk forwards. “How dare you imply I don’t care for Sinmokdong. My family have built this station from the ground up and I care for every single resident here!” 

“You’re a fucking murderer!” Kyungsoo hisses and Lee Dohyun growls, raising his hand as if to slap Kyungsoo but Jongin appears between them before he can strike. 

“Lee Dohyun Mister I sincerely apologize for our rude behaviour.” Jongin says with a bow, even remembering to speak in Jondaemal. Kyungsoo can feel himself shaking. How dare Jongin speak over him like that. How dare he just step in like that. 

“Jongin.” Kyungsoo growls, reaching out to push the other out of the way but Jongin easily catches his hands. “Let me go!” He screams, tearing at the hands holding his as Jongin once more apologies to the head of management, bowing quickly. 

Kyungsoo lunges forwards, pushing Jongin and the two of them stumble. The younger’s grip still remain on his wrists and leg wobbles as pain shoots up it. Lee Dohyun is starting to walk away, shaking his head as he calls for the other residents to not go near them. Kyungsoo can hear him say that he’s gone mad from walking the tunnels and lets out another growl, screaming every insult he knows at Lee Dohyun’s retreating back. 

He can hear Jongin speak to him, his voice harsher than he has ever heard it before but he can’t stop. He’s so angry, so so fucking angry. And he can’t do anything about it. He doesn’t even know if he’s screaming at Lee Dohyun or Jongin or even himself at this point but he can’t stop. Jongin’s grip on his wrists is tight enough to bruise and he can feel blood start to trickle down his leg from where he has torn his wound. 

He pulls at the hands around his wrists, trying to tear them away. He can feel himself hit Jongin, hit himself. He can feel his knee giving out and his other leg straining to keep him upright. He can feel his throat ache from his screaming but he can’t stop. It’s like a explosion. All the anger, all the disappointment. It’s all welling up and he can’t stop. 

Jongin forces him to turn around, forces his back against his chest as the tanned arms wrap around him, holding him in place. Kyungsoo screams, struggling as he tries to contain the unstoppable wave of emotion. Jongin’s arms are hot, burning him, and his solid chest which has always felt so safe feels like a cage. He can’t breathe, the constant screaming stopping him from being able to draw a full breath. He’s not even sure if he’s still making sense or if the screaming has been reduced to as much of a mess as he is. 

His teeth sink into flesh and he can hear Jongin groan behind him before a sudden jerk has his feet leaving the ground and Kyungsoo lets go of the hand in his mouth. He feels awful. He knows how much he’s hurting Jongin. He know’s he should calm down, apologize for everything hurtful he has said, gently kiss the bruises he has beaten into the other’s arms, but all he can do is kick and flail as Jongin carries him over into an arcade with obvious effort. 

The moment his feet touch the ground again Kyungsoo drops to the floor, finally snaking out of Jongin’s grip. He gasps, coughing as he tries to pull a proper breath into his lungs. His hands are shaking, cheeks wet and he’s still so angry he can barely hold back another scream. 

How could things end up this way? How could things end up this bad? He had travelled across half of Seoul twice for this. He had walked through the tunnel between Hangangjin and Samgakji again for this. He had left people to die for this. He had killed for this. And still. Still it is worth nothing in the end. Still all he has left with is a station that doesn’t want him and a guilt so heavy he can barely breathe. 

Is all his hard work really for nothing? Is all of Jongin and Chanyeol’s hard work really for nothing? All their sacrifice for nothing? They left their home for this. They trusted and bared themselves for this. For him. For him who cannot even save a single station. He couldn’t even save his best friend. It had been Chanyeol who did that. He’s no better than the Conductors. In fact he might even be worse. After all he managed to destroy the whole metro in a month. The Conductors had been raging for the past few years and still had only wiped out a few no name stations. 

He can feel an ugly laugh bubble out of his throat from the irony, scraping against his raw throat on the way out. It soon turns to ugly sobs and Kyungsoo can feel bile rise in his throat. 

Jongin quietly sits down next to him, gently placing a hand on his shoulders and Kyungsoo flinches. 

“Don’t touch me!” He howls, voice hoarse and cracking. Jongin backs off and Kyungsoo curls up around himself. His teeth draw blood from how hard he’s biting down on his bottom lip but he would do anything to stop the sobs. 

He feels so weak. So so very weak and afraid. He looks up at Jongin, seeing the other turned away from him and another sob forces its way through his clenched teeth. His nails cracks as he fists his hands against the rough ground. He’s so terrified, petrified and he doesn’t know what to do. 

He wishes someone would tell him. Help him make things right. What step did he miss? What did he do for things to end up this horribly? What should he have said instead? What should he have done instead? 

He closes his eyes, his breath shuddering in his chest. He doesn’t want to lose the metro. He doesn’t want to lose this part of himself too. Without it who is he. Is he even anyone without the metro. It has been his whole life, every single memory he has ever had until 1 month ago. Everything he’s ever known and now it’s gone. 

The sound of clothes rustling as someone sits down next to him makes him open his eyes. A blurry hand rests next to his left one, palm up and fingers splayed as if waiting for someone to take it. Jongin doesn’t say anything and Kyungsoo is eternally grateful for it. The hand is warm in his grasp. Steady. Strong. Kyungsoo’s forehead thumps against Jongin’s shoulder, feeling the heartbeat. Even. Calm. 

Warm. Calm. Strong. Bright. Everything Jongin is and Kyungsoo eats it up like a man starving. Jongin’s shirt grows wet with tears, the joints in his hand grinding against each other as Kyungsoo squeezes the life out of them but despite everything he still remains warm. Calm. Strong. Everything Kyungsoo is not. 

“You’re going to survive this too.” Jongin whispers against his forehead, lips pressed close in a gentle kiss. 

He doesn’t say anything else. 

Chanyeol returns 30 minutes later, having helped Baekhyun and his family as well as the other 5 out of the metro and into safety while Jongin and Kyungsoo worked on convincing more people. 

By now Kyungsoo has calmed down, his breathing once again even and his tears having dried up long since. His entire body aches as he looks up at Chanyeol, noting the furrow between his eyebrows and the dark circles under his eyes. 

“It’s time.” He says and Kyungsoo feels like breaking down all over again. 

No one tries to stop them as they make their way towards the exit. The guards doesn’t even acknowledge them as they walk past the small guard post. It’s like the tunnels have already left him behind, slipping through his fingers before his eyes. The darkness that has always been a part of him sliding off him way too easily and the musty smell of goats disappearing so quickly Kyungsoo is left wondering if he has imagined it all. 

He almost asks Chanyeol to stop, to let him say goodbye properly but the climb to the surface happens so fast he barely has time to take anything in. His weak fingers slide over a pillar, coming away dusty, and the oily coating feels like the back of his throat tastes. Tar, blood and smoke mixing until every breath is pain but unlike before there isn’t a single emotion in his chest. 

The sunlight stings his eyes as they step outside, burning away at his hands, cheeks, head, back and legs until all he has left of the memory is a map, a scarf, a lifetime and some dust. 

The dust is gone a moment later when a strong wind pulls at his clothes. Jongin and Chanyeol are talking, the taller gesturing towards a building some hundred meters down the street. He can see a small figure wave at them from outside, moving his hands in three large clockwise circles.

Kyungsoo croaks out at Jongin to do the same. The younger obeys immediately, smile soft as he looks at Kyungsoo. 

It’s Baekhyun. Kyungsoo would recognize that idiot anywhere and in a horrible, selfish way he can’t help but relish at the feeling that he’s not the only one losing everything he’s ever had. 

Baekhyun gestures towards the sky, screaming something about the colours and the light and Chanyeol laughs. Kyungsoo presses his face against the taller’s neck, letting the vibrations travel through him and surrounding himself in the feeling. He squeezes his arms tighter around the older’s shoulders and Chanyeol turns to look at him, smiling in that way that always knocks the breath out of him. 

He looks like an idiot too. Especially with the plaster covering the cut on his cheek halfway to falling off and his hair matted gray with dust. Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything and like always Chanyeol seems to get it and presses a soft kiss to Kyungsoo’s forehead, right above where Jongin pressed his only 30 minutes before. 

Kyungsoo blinks, keeping his eyes closed for a long moment as he tries to breathe. With every sway, every step Chanyeol takes, the metro gets further away. The door open to the heart of darkness slowly shrinking until it can’t be seen anymore. 

Kyungsoo turns around, desperate for a last look at his home. The lonesome pillar signalling an entrance glints in the sun, almost as if saying goodbye. Kyungsoo blinks, wishing he could burn the image into his brain to be stored for eternity. His heart clenches, fingers tightening around Chanyeol’s shoulders as he stretches, desperate for a closer look, desperate for a final goodbye. 

The bombs go off.


	26. Epilogue

The black water of the Han river slowly rolls against the river banks, chasing the surface in a leziourdly climb. 

It looks just like it did the first time Kyungsoo saw it, all those years ago and the calmness he has only recently dared to tell Jongin and Chanyeol about fills him again. The quiet hum races up his spine like a lover’s caress, leaving goosebumps in it’s wake. 

It’s a piece of home, no matter how hostile, and Kyungsoo can’t help but suck it all up. 

“There he goes, getting all nostalgic again.” Jongin comments and Kyungsoo turns his head to glare at him. Jongin laughs, pushing him with his shoulder and Kyungsoo pushes back, grinning as Jongin stumbles. 

“Shut up.” He murmurs before continuing on towards their usual spot on a small hill looking over the river. It is one of the few places outside the park where grass grows and Chanyeol had fallen in love with it the first time he saw it. 

It’s quite a walk from Yeouido, almost 45 minutes, but Kyungsoo can’t help to love it too, even if it’s only for the smile Chanyeol gets whenever he gets to run his fingers through the grass. 

“You’re like an old man.” Chanyeol says and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. 

“You’re the one who’s 30.” He says back and Chanyeol huffs, using his long legs to walk ahead. Kyungsoo can’t stop a chuckle to escape his lips as he hears Chanyeol complain to Jongin how Kyungsoo thinks he’s old only to have Jongin confirm that he indeed is. 

A lot has happened in the past 8 years since he first met the two. Yeouido has grown, now taking up two buildings. The refugees from Sinjil station having found their way to them a few days after the destruction of the metro. They had heard words of what was going to happen from people who had been fleeing the Terminal after it had been made clear only the top level of the station would get refugee with the City hall. 

They hadn’t been the only station who had heard the news and every time Kyungsoo learns of another highrise that had grown from metro refugees he can’t help the wave of relief that washes over him. 

Jongdae and parts of his station had survived too and lives on in a highrise a few days walk from here. He comes to visit quite often, selling pigskin bags and jackets that the highrise produces after they managed to save a few pigs from one of the underground farms. 

He has heard word that a highrise half a day’s walk north of City hall now has goats and Chanyeol has promised that one day they will travel there and visit the animals. Baekhyun will come along, of course. He and Chanyeol have been best friends from practically the first moment they met. There had been moment in the beginning where both he and Jongin feared Chanyeol would fall in love with Baekhyun too, because no, Kyungsoo could not do that, but while their feelings are intense, they are purely platonic. 

“Soo, Yebo.” Jongin whines and Kyungsoo looks up to the two men in front of him. Jongin is pouting while Chanyeol is giggling happily, his arms wrapped around Jongin’s waist. “Yeol’s mean to me.” 

“I’m sure you deserved it.” Kyungsoo says and Jongin’s pout immediately deepens. Kyungsoo smiles softly to himself as he walks up to them, making sure to pinch Chanyeol in the side as he passes. Chanyeol yelps, him too pouting at Kyungsoo as the shorter passes. Kyungsoo just raises an eyebrow at them before walking on, smile broadening as he hears the two of them giggle behind him. 

He settles down on their usual spot on top of the hill, sighing as he let’s his eyes trail over the Han river as the black water leisurely rolls. The small service boat that is always there rocks in time with the waves, surely holding electronics that any highrise would love to have. 

It will stay there though, slowly swaying back and forth until the black water finally eats through the hull, sinking the boat and any valuables inside it. Kyungsoo knows the darkness well enough to know that it will never let anything go that it has caught in its claws. 

The brown grass crunches behind him, making Kyungsoo look up only to see Chanyeol crouch down behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and tipping both of them to the side as he loses his balance. Kyungsoo lets him, knowing it’s futile to fight against Chanyeol whenever he gets cuddly but also not minding that, although you didn’t hear that from him. 

Jongin sits down next to them, not sparing them a second glance as Chanyeol struggles to sit up and Kyungsoo does anything but help. 

“Gods you’re so much more agreeable with a dick in your ass.” Chanyeol groans in his ear as he finally manages to settle Kyungsoo on his lap. Jongin barks out a loud laugh next to them, leaning against Kyungsoo’s shoulder as he chuckles. 

Kyungsoo decides Chanyeol deserves another pinch and the taller yelps, wrapping his arms tighter around Kyungsoo’s waist. Leaning his head against Chanyeol’s shoulder Kyungsoo sighs, smiling softly as Jongin places a gentle kiss against his temple before kissing Chanyeol. 

“We still love you though.” Jongin whispers, laying down and settling his head against Chanyeol’s thigh. 

“Love you too.” Kyungsoo sighs, relaxing his shoulders and rolling his left foot, feeling the muscles give a familiar ache as he jostles the old injury. It has healed nicely since the chase from the Conductors, leaving only a scar and a stiff muscle. 

A lot of things have changed since then. The surface is safer, a lot safer. No one has seen the Conductors since the destruction of the metro and lately even the mutants have started to lessen. Rain comes more often nowadays, bringing precious water and providing growth to previous bare areas. 

People have also changed. Since the small but significant wave of refugees from the metro the highrises have become more open and friendlier towards strangers, learning that they have a lot they can contribute with. There is almost not a single highrise without a mushroom farm nowadays courtesy of the metro residents and the ability to grow food without sunlight has help cause a huge upswing in children. 

Even Yeouido have seen quite a few already this year. Junmyeon, most noticeably, now has a baby girl together with one of the refugees from Singil who Kyungsoo helped name Kyungja, after his sister. 

Her green scarf is still with him, that much he hasn’t changed. He still has nights where he wakes up in cold sweat and panic, fearing that he once again lost not only his family but also Jongin and Chanyeol in the tunnels by Itaewon. He still has days where the guilt eats away at his insides and leaves him so tired he can barely get out of bed. Days where the what ifs plague his mind to the point where all he can think of is how if only he had tried harder, maybe the metro would still be there. 

During those days Jongin and Chanyeol are always there for him, helping him pull himself out of his slump and through his day, mostly letting him help Jongin up on the farm where he can care for the plants and feel needed, feel loved. 

Just like he helps Jongin and Chanyeol on days where the memories of the loss of Yongwang and Sehun are too strong. Days where he feels nothing but love and admiration for the strength in both of the people he loves. They’ve all been through alot, memories and injuries that will never leave them. 

But they have each other, have love enough to smooth over any wound whether it be physical or emotional. Despite several rough spots and fights they’re still strongest when they’re together, when they can all let their guards down, let their laughs cling loud and let their emotions be free. 

“I love you even more when you have a dick in your-” Chanyeol cuts off with a yelp as Kyungsoo delivers a punch to his thigh. 

“Don’t push it.” He warns, raising a hand as Jongin chuckles but quickly lovering it again even though the younger deserves a smack for agreeing with Chanyeol. 

Jongin grins as he closes his eyes and shifts further up Chanyeol’s thigh, grabbing Kyungsoo’s hand and bringing it to his hair before fully letting himself relax. Kyungsoo follows his lead, letting his fingers run through the rough strands as he relaxes back against Chanyeol’s chest. 

The soft humming of the Han river resounds through him, telling him that the blackness is at ease. Waiting. Observing. Ready to grab whatever gets in its grasp but staying within its territory. The small furrow that has been deepening between Kyungsoo’s eyebrows since last time they went here finally relaxes. The knowledge that the darkness is content and not searching for more land to claim fills him with peace, the knowledge that while he couldn’t save the metro from it, at least he could save the surface from being consumed by it lifting a little of the guilt resting in his guts. 

“We still okay?” Chanyeol asks. He can still hear the humming but has never been able to read it as clearly as Kyungsoo. He would know if the darkness changed its mood but he can’t tell much more. They all rely on Kyungsoo for that info. 

“We’re safe.” Kyungsoo smiles, humming as he feels Chanyeol press his lips against the top of his head. 

“Good.” Jongin sighs, pushing up against Kyungsoo’s hand to remind him that he still needs to pet the youngest’s hair. 

They stay like that until sunset, letting the sun further tan their brown skin and bleach their already blond hair. Basking in the warmth and the love for each other Kyungsoo allows his eyelids to grow heavy, his guards to lower and his mind to wander. Sleep overcomes him quickly and once he wakes he finds himself on Chanyeol’s back as he carries him back towards Yeouido, Jongin next to them with this pigskin backpack strapped to his front. 

As Minseok greets them by the entrance, teasing Kyungsoo for allowing himself to be carried despite being able to use both of his legs Kyungsoo can’t help the large smile growing on his face, once more reminded that up here on the surface, everyone is truly living and not just surviving.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Kudos and Comments are very appreciated


End file.
